A technique for immediately restoring single dental implants with a CAD-CAM implant-supported crown milled from a poly(methyl methacrylate) block

Abstract

This technique is used when a single dental implant is placed. A stent made of autopolymerized acrylic resin was used to transfer the implant position to the laboratory. Once the implant position was transferred, the stone cast was scanned, and a computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing (CAD-CAM) interim implant-supported crown was milled from a poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) block. A titanium insert, in contact with the implant platform and not the PMMA material, was used to support the crown. The interim prosthesis was then placed intraorally. The soft tissues were sutured, and the interim prosthesis was left for a period of at least 3 months to confirm osseointegration and allow the soft tissue to heal. A CAD-CAM titanium impression coping was made and used for the definitive impression. The contours of the impression coping were identical to the contours of the interim restoration. The data of the digital design of the interim prosthesis were saved, and the definitive prosthesis was fabricated with contours identical to those of the interim prosthesis.