Micromorphological differences of the implant-abutment junction between original and 'compatible' abutments

Abstract

Background: “Compatible” or “third party” prosthetic components, which can be branded or generic have been often proposed as a cost effective alternatives in implant restorations. As the stability of the implant – abutment junction is a crucial factor to the long term success of implant reconstructions, research investigating the performance of compatible abutments is essential. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate similarities and differences in the micromorphology of implant-abutment connections between original and different third party components and consequently extrapolate to clinical implications. Materials and methods: Straumann implants were connected with original gold abutments and 5 compatible third party components. All units were then sliced and placed under different magnifications (10x - 500x) through a SEM and digitally photographed. Measurements of tight contact surface were conducted with calibrated Photographic editing software (ImageJ, USA) with precision of 1μm. The measurements focused in the shoulder contact, the internal connection including the anti-rotation element and the abutment screw threads. Results: Major dimensional differences were identified between the 6 units investigated (1 original – 5 compatible) both in geometry, symmetry as well as the overall tight contact area. In addition, there appears to be a significant diversity in the quality among the different compatible components. Conclusions and clinical implications: There is a significant misfit of certain non-original components, which implies sub-par machining and can lead to increased stress and strain in the abutment and abutment screw. This could increase the risk for screw loosening and can potentially lead to fractures of the abutment screws or the implants.