The Abutment Duplication Technique: A Novel Protocol for Cementable Implant-Supported Restorations

The purpose of this study was to present a new laboratory technique for cementable implant-supported restorations and to evaluate its efficacy in reducing chair time for both patients and clinicians, while maintaining the precision of an indirect procedure for crown fabrication. The technique consisted of the duplication of the implant portion of a working cast prepared using double-pour or plastic base die systems for single or multiple crowns. For this purpose, a flask previously intended for the production of ceramic inlays and onlays was used. Duplication was obtained using a high-precision addition silicon material and a low-shrinkage polyurethane resin. The duplicated implant abutment was used to finalize the fixed partial denture restorations after the originals were delivered to the patients. Fifty abutments were tested consecutively. The castings (19 single crowns, 31 fixed partial dentures) produced on the original abutments were seated on the duplicate abutments and evaluated by two prosthodontists and two dental technicians using a visual inspection method (laboratory microscope at 16X magnification). Forty-eight restorations were "good" (completely seated, no marginal opening) and 2 were "acceptable" (incomplete seating but amendable), with a 98% success rate. The technique presented demonstrates efficacy and predictability in reducing the number of clinical sessions for delivering precisely fitting cementable implant-supported restorations.