[Analysis of the fit quality of the metal frames on implants depending on the abutment taper]

The objectivewas to study the effect of changing the anglconvergence of the abutment walls, depending on their height, as well as the number of supports, on the accuracy of fitting metal-ceramic prostheses to the abutments.

It was studied 72 constructions: prostheses on single abutments with abutment heights from 3 mm to 9 mm with an increase in height of 2 mm, an angle of convergence of the abutment walls from 0° to 10° with an increase in convergence of 2° in the amount of 24 prostheses; 24 framework designs supported by two abutments, with the same parameters (height and angle of inclination of the abutment walls) and prostheses supported by three abutments in the amount of 24 designs. The abutments were milled from a titanium alloy Ti-6Al-4V, and the prostheses were cast from a cobalt-chrome alloy. During fabrication of the prostheses, a compensation varnish was applied to the respective abutments to create a gap between the framework and the abutment for a 50 μm thick cement film. The crown prostheses were cemented onto the abutments with GC Fuji + glass-ionomer cement, followed by vertical sawing in the medio-distal direction. After sawing, the gaps between the inner edges of the prostheses walls and the outer edges of the abutment walls were measured using a «Levenhuk DTX 90» digital microscope (Russia) at x100 magnification.

Abatement height 3 mm with any number of supports and 5 mm with up to 3 supports do not need taper for precise fitting. In 5 mm abatements and 3 and more supports minimal required taper is 2°. Seven mm singular abatement requires 4° taper, but the increased number of supports enhances it up to 6°. For 9 mm abatement optimal abatement taper for the best fitting is 8°.

The study showed the relationship between the fitting accuracy and the change in the abutment taper, their height, and the number of supports in the structure.