Abutment Selection in Implant Dentistry

Implant abutment selection after actual osseointegration of the implant is an important factor in influencing the ultimate outcome of the implant restoration. However, the guidelines for abutment selection are not clear in current implant dentistry. There are many different abutments for both screw-retained and cement-retained restorations. Regardless of which abutment is selected, functional and esthetic considerations are the main factors for clinical application. Therefore, customized abutments, which include both screw-retained UCLA abutments and cement-retained custom abutments, are frequently the option of choice to meet these goals. These customized abutments are more user friendly for achieving predictable esthetics with implant supported restorations. In this article, guidelines for implant abutment selection will be proposed to help dentists make appropriate decisions. The complications that may occur as a result of inappropriate abutment selection will be discussed to provide a frame of reference for decision making in clinical implant therapy.