A clinical study of the efficacy of gold-tite square abutment screws in cement-retained implant restorations.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to record the effectiveness of Gold-Tite square abutment screws, tightened to 35 Ncm with a torque indicator, in maintaining a clinically stable implant/abutment connection.


METHODS
The study consisted of 73 patients who were treated with 110 Osseotite implants. All patients were restored with either pre-machined titanium or customized UCLA hexed abutments. All abutments were fabricated per the Gold Standard ZR abutment design of Implant Innovations. All of the abutment screws were Gold-Tite square abutment screws. They were torqued to 35 Ncm with a torque indicator at the time of abutment connection. All crown restorations were cemented to the abutments. Patients were followed for at least 1 year post-occlusal loading.


RESULTS
Four patients with 6 implants were lost between the 6- and 12-month recall appointments. Clinical assessments of implant/restoration mobility were made by the author. One abutment screw was found to be loose at the 12-month recall appointment, representing a 99% survival rate.


CONCLUSIONS
These results add to the growing evidence that abutment screws with enhanced surfaces may provide increased screw/implant contact, higher rotational values, and calculated preload values.


CONCLUSIONS
The use of the Gold-Tite square abutment screws, torqued to 35 Ncm, maintained a stable implant/abutment connection that was successful in clinical practice for this minimal evaluation period.
Drago
Carl J
CJ
Department of Prosthodontics, Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center, La Crosse, Wisconsin 54601, USA. cjdrago@gundluth.org
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002484:Cementation; D003442:Crowns; D000044:Dental Abutments; D019250:Dental Implants, Single-Tooth; D017268:Dental Prosthesis Retention / Q000295:instrumentation*; D019094:Dental Prosthesis, Implant-Supported; D005260:Female; D006047:Gold Alloys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019415:Torque
D006047:Gold Alloys