Screw retained vs. cement retained implant-supported fixed dental prosthesis

Area of Science:

• Dental Implantology
• Prosthodontics

Background:

• Fixed dental prostheses on endosseous implants can be secured using either cementation or screw retention.
• The selection between these retention methods involves multiple clinical considerations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide a comprehensive review of factors influencing the choice between screw-retained and cement-retained implant-supported fixed dental prostheses.
• To analyze indications, pros and cons, retention, retrievability, provisionalization, esthetics, and clinical performance.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review of recently published literature.
• Discussion of results from existing systematic reviews.
• Presentation of a decision tree to aid clinical selection.

Main Results:

• The choice between screw and cement retention may not impact the overall survival rate of implant-supported fixed dental prostheses.
• Specific complications can be associated with each retention type.

Conclusions:

• The decision for screw versus cement retention should be based on technical feasibility and a careful evaluation of advantages and disadvantages.
• While implant survival may be unaffected, the choice can influence the occurrence of certain complications.