Zirconia implant abutment fracture: clinical case reports and precautions for use

A selection of abstracts of clinically relevant papers from other journals. The abstracts on this page have been chosen and edited by John R. Radford.

Abstract

The metallic screw arrangement that is used to fix the zirconia framework to the implant would appear to be associated with ceramic fracture.

Main

Aboushelib MN, Salameh Z. Int J Prosthodont 2009; 22: 616–619.

The fabrication 'of accurate and complex zirconia frameworks requires little more than a few keyboard clicks.' In addition, the white framework provides superior dental aesthetics. In this study, five fractured zirconia abutments (Procera Zirconia, Nobel Biocare^™) were retrieved and examined using fractographic analysis. This technique consisted of identifying the site of critical failure using oblique light and then SEM examination. All samples demonstrated 'friction and abrasion marks on the internal surface of the zirconia abutments' together with damage to the heads of the fixation screws. The location of each critical crack was at the site of where the ceramic abutment contacted the metallic screw-nut. Two of the fractures however, appeared as a consequence of over-reduction of the zirconia abutments.