title: Complete digital workflow for the production of implant-supported single-unit monolithic crowns.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this case series was to introduce a complete digital workflow for the production of monolithic implant crowns.
  
  
  METHODS
  Six patients were treated with implant-supported crowns made of resin nano ceramic (RNC). Starting with an intraoral optical scan (IOS), and following a CAD/CAM process, the monolithic crowns were bonded either to a novel prefabricated titanium abutment base (group A) or to a CAD/CAM-generated individualized titanium abutment (group B) in premolar or molar sites on a soft tissue level dental implant. Economic analyses included clinical and laboratory steps. An esthetic evaluation was performed to compare the two abutment-crown combinations.
  
  
  RESULTS
  None of the digitally constructed RNC crowns required any clinical adaptation. Overall mean work time calculations revealed obvious differences for group A (65.3 min) compared with group B (86.5 min). Esthetic analysis demonstrated a more favorable outcome for the prefabricated bonding bases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Prefabricated or individualized abutments on monolithic RNC crowns using CAD/CAM technology in a model-free workflow seem to provide a feasible and streamlined treatment approach for single-edentulous space rehabilitation in the posterior region. However, RNC as full-contour material has to be considered experimental, and further large-scale clinical investigations with long-term follow-up observation are necessary.
authors.affiliation: Division of Fixed Prosthodontics, School of Dental Medicine, University of Bern, Freiburgstr. 7, CH-3010, Bern, Switzerland.|Department of Prosthetic Dentistry, Center for Dental and Oral Medicine, University Hospital Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistr. 52, O52, D-20146, Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Tim
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Joda
authors.affiliation: Division of Fixed Prosthodontics, School of Dental Medicine, University of Bern, Freiburgstr. 7, CH-3010, Bern, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Urs
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Brägger
mesh_terms: D002516:Ceramics / Q000737:chemistry; D017076:Computer-Aided Design; D003442:Crowns; D000044:Dental Abutments; D001840:Dental Bonding; D019250:Dental Implants, Single-Tooth; D003764:Dental Materials / Q000737:chemistry; D017267:Dental Prosthesis Design; D019094:Dental Prosthesis, Implant-Supported; D004955:Esthetics, Dental; D006801:Humans; D007754:Laboratories, Dental / Q000191:economics; D049329:Nanostructures / Q000737:chemistry; D013997:Time Factors; D014025:Titanium / Q000737:chemistry; D014584:User-Computer Interface; D057188:Workflow
chemical_list: D003764:Dental Materials; D014025:Titanium
keywords: cad/cam; dental crown; dental implant; digital workflow; intraoral optical scan; resin nano ceramic (RNC)