Titanium and Zirconia External Connection Abutments Produced Following a Digital Protocol: An In Vitro Study

Area of Science:

• Dental implantology
• Biomaterials science
• Prosthodontics

Background:

• Precision at the implant-abutment interface is crucial for the long-term success of single-tooth restorations.
• Digital workflows are increasingly used for fabricating dental prosthetics, including abutments.
• Titanium and zirconia are common materials for abutments, each with distinct properties.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate and compare the precision, specifically rotational freedom, of titanium and zirconia abutments.
• To assess the fit quality of abutments produced via a digital protocol for single-tooth restorations.
• To determine if material choice influences the implant-abutment interface stability.

Main Methods:

• Twenty commercially pure titanium and twenty zirconia abutments were fabricated using a digital protocol.
• The rotational freedom of each abutment within its corresponding implant connection was measured.
• Statistical analysis was performed using STATA 14.2 software to compare the groups.

Main Results:

• No statistically significant differences were found in rotational freedom between the titanium and zirconia abutment groups.
• Both material types exhibited consistent rotational freedom values.

Conclusions:

• Both titanium and zirconia abutments, when fabricated digitally, demonstrate approximately 2 degrees of rotational freedom at the hexagonal external connection.
• The findings suggest comparable precision and stability at the implant-abutment interface for both materials in this context.
• Digital fabrication protocols yield consistent results for titanium and zirconia abutments regarding rotational freedom.