Techniques to control or avoid cement around implant-retained restorations.

As implant dentistry has grown in popularity, many clinicians have attempted to simplify their protocols to more closely resemble conventional crown and bridge procedures. However, a thorough understanding of the biologic differences between natural teeth and dental implants, as well as the types of cements employed, is essential to achieving both short- and long-term success, as these biologic disparities between teeth and implants can lead to residual cement around implant-retained restorations, thus contributing to peri-implant disease. Four techniques are described that either reduce the flow of excessive cement or eliminate it altogether while maintaining proper occlusion without compromising the esthetics of implant-retained restorations.