Case Report
Anatomical Shaping for Zirconia Custom Implant Abutment to
Enhance Anterior Esthetic: A Clinical Technique
Mohammed Alshehri ,
1
Mohammed Alghamdi ,
1
and Abdullah S. Alayad
2
1
King Saud University Medical City, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
2
Restorative Dental Sciences Department, College of Dentistry, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
CorrespondenceshouldbeaddressedtoMohammedAlshehri;dr_mzs@hotmail.com
Received 5 May 2020; Revised 26 October 2020; Accepted 28 October 2020; Published 5 November 2020
AcademicEditor:AndreaScribante
Copyright©2020MohammedAlshehrietal.isisanopenaccessarticledistributedundertheCreativeCommonsAttribution
License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is
properly cited.
Abutmentsareusedindentistrytoattachdentalcrownstodentalimplant.Currently,zirconiacustomabutmentistheonewhich
ismostlyusedinrestorations,sinceitoffersseveraladvantages,especiallybetterestheticsandpreventionfrominfection.Several
innovationsaredoneintheimplantdesignsandprocedurestoachievebetteresthetics.Computer-aideddesign&computer-aided
manufacturing (CAD/CAM) system is widely used innovative technology in dentistry. is technology offers custom implants
thathelptoachievebetterestheticsandgoodinternalfit.isprocedureusedanoveltechniqueofanatomicalmodificationofthe
finalabutmentincisaledgefromstraightanatomicaledgetoirregularonewithamamelon-incisaleffecttoenhanceesthetic,shade
matching, and anatomical replication of incisal structure that resembles the natural incisor. Usually, dental technicians will
performfacialandincisalcut-backandapplyporcelainlayerstothecrowninordertoreproducethetranslucencyandtheother
opticaleffectsthatmostcloselymatchthatofnaturaldentinandenamel,especiallyattheincisaledge.eseopticaleffectswill
maketheprostheticcrownlookmorenaturalandestheticallypleasant.Bythispresentedtechniquewillhelpthedentaltechnician
toachievehighlyestheticcrownwithcompletelydigitalworkflowwithouttheneedforporcelainlayering.eprocedurewasalso
followed up to 3, 6, and 12 months after the surgery and found no complications or complaints from the patient and
esthetically satisfied.
1. Introduction
Abutments are part of the implant prosthetic system which
isusedindentistrytoconnecttheimplantcrownstodental
implant [1]. ey are broadly classified into two categories:
stockabutmentandcustomorpatient-specificabutment[2].
Stockimplantabutmentswereeconomicalanduserfriendly
and can be used for implants at both tissue and bone level.
Poor hygiene, poor esthetics, and poor alignment with
angled implants led to the emergence of custom abutments
[3].Infact,newCAD/CAMsystemsregisteredaconstantly
increasing use in dentistry. is technology allows a com-
pletely digital workflow, from impression to final frame-
work, and the materials used showed excellent mechanical
properties [4] and good internal fit [5] which make it
possible to create patient-specific abutments that are both
strong and esthetic. Custom-made abutments can be fab-
ricatedbythreetechniques:lostwaxtechnique,CAD/CAM,
and3Dprinting.Also,therearedifferentmaterialsthatcan
beusedtofabricatecustomabutments,goldalloy,titanium,
zirconia, and base metal alloy. Each one of these materials
has advantages and disadvantages. Metal abutments, which
areversatileandrobust,canbeusedanywhereinthemouth,
but esthetics is compromised when used in the anterior
maxilla. Zirconia abutments, which are composed of ce-
ramic, can be placed anywhere in the mouth, but are most
advantageous,whenusedintheestheticzone[6].Besidesits
excellent strength and esthetic characteristics, zirconia ex-
hibits hygienic properties comparable to titanium. Zirconia
abutments can be layered by pink porcelain directly, when
necessary,toapproximatethecolorofthesurroundingsoft
tissue. Zirconia has high strength and excellent
Hindawi
International Journal of Dentistry
Volume 2020, Article ID 8857410, 5 pages
https://doi.org/10.1155/2020/8857410