Universal Abutments for Implant Prosthodontics: A Case Report

Each available cylindrical endosseous dental implant requires unique prosthodontic components to restore osseointegrated implants. The prosthodontist may not always have the opportunity to dictate the implant system for every patient, since this decision too frequently is made by the surgeon without prior consultation with the restoring dentist. Therefore, a large inventory of prosthetic components for each manufacturer's system is required. To address this problem, third-party manufacturers developed the concept of the universal abutment. The purported advantages of prosthetic-component standardization, regardless of the type of implant, are appealing. A case report involving a patient requiring prosthetic rehabilitation of posterior edentulous quadrants using IMZ implants is presented. The Universal Modification Abutment replaced the intramobile element and transmucosal extension. The advantages include a one-piece titanium-alloy tissue extension, more variety of transmucosal lengths, and compatibility of the prosthetic components regardless of implant. Keywords: compatibility, implants, prosthodontics, universal abutment