Implant-Retained Bridges: Can I Use Pneumatic Crown and Bridge Removers?

In Theory, if anything at all, pneumatic crown and bridge removers will probably work a lot better on implant supported crowns/ bridges than tooth supported counterparts. The reasons being- 1-Often crowns are cemented over stock abutments which are smooth/ machined. Therefore the cement bond strength to polished metal would be much weaker than to natural tooth. Much less force will be required to dislodge a prosthesis cemented/ luted over machined abutments. Even if you had custom cast metal abutments/ or Zirconia abutments, it will still be easier removing crowns/ bridges on implants than bonded/ luted crown & bridge on teeth 2- An osseointegrated implant literally ankylosed in bone........ there is no movement/ shock absorption on loading as compared to periodontal ligament suspended natural tooth........ So when a lifting force is applied to a prosthesis on implants....... all the load will transmitted towards the lift.......... and no dampened as in tooth supported prosthesis. Damage to implants or abutments using pneumatic removers..... 1- I would not try like to try on a non osseointegrated implant, which means a freshly placed, immediately or early loaded implant........ wait for the traditional time proven period........ 3 months in mandible/ 6 months in maxilla before placing such stresses on implant. Maybe Resonance Frequency index/ Quotient may come in handy at this point??? 2- There is a chance you would damage....... or more rather deeply scratch the Titanium abutments........ If it a stock abutment....... just polish it or replace with another stock abutment........ there is no reason for the crown not to fit over replacement stock abutment as long as it is exactly the same make/ model etc 3- Warn the patient of possible damage to abutment as you would about ceramic chipping off the crown during removal......... So if it gets damaged, in the process, then replace it.......... I doubt you could break an abutment except gouge it......... Hope this helps PS- I am going back to screw retained crowns......... purely from peri abutment inflammation perspective....... from cement overhangs, impaction in sulcus.......... There is no reason why you should not be able to produce the same quality work as your mates who use cement retained crowns only........ If you are worried about the aesthetic restoration of the screw hole in the palate....... go for Zirconia abutment/ crown fabrication and then spend a little extra getting the lab to mill out a screw hole plug with a positive stop........ so it can be cemented in place with resin and achieve a good result........... having said that sometimes screw retained crowns are not possible due to implant angulation etc etc You need to discuss this issue at a deeper level with your lab tech........ he will be the best adviser.

I would say NO just as a precaution, retrieval is possible depending on the luting technique. Go to the first discussion of this issue. about cosmetic between cemented and direct.... with the correct placing of the implant a direct restoration is far superior aestheticly than a cemented one, if you are worried about the insertion hole, that is easyly fixable, use opaquers previously to the resin and then some colour modifier to match the sulcus colours of the ceramic or you can get a nice small art glass and cement it. ( its even more easy on zirconia abutments)and I am not against cementing, i do half direct and half cemented.