All-ceramic restorative system for esthetic implant-supported crowns: in vitro evaluations and clinical case report

Patient demands for improved esthetics have prompted the development of all-ceramic restorative systems for dental implants, but material strength and restorative costs have presented clinical challenges. Therefore, a new restorative system with tooth-shaped ceramic copings for the anterior and premolar jaw regions has been introduced to address these problems. Fatigue and 17o. compression tests were conducted in vitro to assess the mechanical strength of the 6 tooth-shaped copings and several luting agents of the system. A case report on the clinical use of the components is presented. All 6 tooth-shaped copings significantly exceeded the range of forces associated with restoration in the anterior jaw. Crown-endurance limits for fatigue and 17o. compression were 70% higher and 46% higher, respectively, than the established minimum-fatigue-endurance limits in those categories. In clinical evaluation, the ceramic restorative system performed well and produced excellent results; it has potential for implant restorations in the anterior and premolar regions of the jaw.