If you're getting a dental implant, you want the crown of the implant (the part that actually looks like a tooth) to look as normal as possible. However, you also want to be able to get the implant and crown fixed or replaced if necessary, without causing too much trauma. Choosing the right kind of connection between the implant and crown makes all the difference.
Screw-Retained: An Easy Fix With an Obvious Look
Screw-retained crowns are literally screwed onto the implant. After you have the implant placed in your jaw, the crown is connected by a screw that sits in the implant. For molars, the screw is in the center and is well hidden in the back of your mouth. The screw hole is usually capped with a composite filling.
These are relatively easy to fix because all the dentist has to do is remove the filling material and unscrew the crown. If the crown needs to be changed or the implant itself accessed, the dentist can do that without poking around your gums, other than the part right next to the implant. For back molars, screw-retained crowns do quite well.
The issue with screw-retained crowns is that they are rather obvious on the front, non-molar teeth. The appearance of these crowns can be greatly compromised by the screw even when tooth-colored composite caps the screw hole.
Cement-Retained: Better Looking but More of a Mess
Cement-retained crowns are cemented onto the implant. There is no need for a hole or a screw, so the crown looks a lot more natural, which is fitting for a front tooth. There is no worry about replacing or removing composite filling material and no chance of the composite and crown materials becoming different shades due to staining.
However, cemented crowns are much harder to remove and much more traumatic to gumlines if too much cement was used to connect the crowns. The cement can also seep under the gums when wet if the implant is a type known as immediate-load, where the crown is added before the implant heals.
If looks are of utmost importance, cement is better, but if you are worried about trying to separate the cement from the implant, cement-retained crowns might not be the choice for you. Also, if you are getting immediate-load implants, screw-retained may be better. You may want to save cement-retained implants for traditional procedures in which the crown is added months after the implant is added.
If you want to know more about keeping crowns on implants, talk to a dentist, like those at Kenai Dental Clinic. You'll get information about the latest technology and protocols that could help make keeping the implant and crown in good shape very easy.
Share3 January 2016
Do you have a different doctor from your spouse? Does your child see a pediatrician? Most families have different medical health providers for different members of the family. This makes sense in most cases, but did you know that you can find a dentist who will treat every person in the family from a baby to a senior? I'm a manager or a family dentist, and in this blog you will learn why a family dentist is a great idea. I will tell you the many advantages of taking every family member to the same dentist, and I will give you tips of finding the right dental office for your family.