Keywords
screw-retained fixed partial denture, crown, contact area, Dental Implant
Abstract
A single-unit, screw-retained fixed partial denture or crown, made for a dental implant, may show food impaction between the screw-retained crown and an inter-proximal tooth surface. This restorative error may be due to an open contact or a large interproximal embrasure space volume between the screw-retained prosthesis and an interproximal tooth surface. Food impaction may also occur due to the contact plane of the restoration being parallel with the contact plane of the neighboring tooth instead of a more correct contact plane geometry where both interproximal contact planes converge slightly towards each other to form a “triangular” embrasure space. These errors of contact plane geometry for a screw-retained restoration may be due to the screw-retained restoration not having an optimal path of placement to follow for insertion into the implant.
This article defines the path of placement and the optimal contact area geometry of a screw-retained implant crown restoration and describes how a dentist can contour interproximal tooth surfaces to facilitate an optimal path of placement for the screw-retained crown that will be made for a dental implant, to allow a dental laboratory technician to fabricate a fixed partial denture with an optimal contact area geometry. The article also shows how microscope-level magnification and coaxial illumination facilitate visualizing and optimizing the path of insertion for a screw-retained crown.
Recommended Citation
Mamoun, John S. D.M.D.
(2026)
"Restoration of Dental Implants with Screw-Retained Crowns: Optimizing Contact Area Geometry to Prevent Food Impaction,"
The New York State Dental Journal: Vol. 92:
No.
3, Article 5.
Available at:
https://commons.ada.org/nysdj/vol92/iss3/5