Shortened Abutment Too Much on Zimmer Swiss Plus Implants: What Do I Do?

Dr. A, You need to do a fixture level impression and fabricate a screw retained restoration if there is adequate space. If the opposing is super-erupted, consider restoring it to proper form. Pre-operative study models or careful occlusal examination will help prevent this sort of problem in the future. Good Luck,

This is a very common problem with this system if u don't have enough interarch space. It seems that the opposing teeth may be over-erupted. Has the patient been missing these teeth for a long time? check out the following link. The co. has come up with a solution for such problem with their other line the T.S.V. give them a call may be they will able to help u with the swiss plus. http://www.zimmerdental.com/news_press2009ArtA1081.aspx u may consider custom made abutments or making crowns on the opposing teeth after explaining the situation to the patient. Free of charge of course!

Dr A. If this problem is unezpected, that tells me that during your treatment planning of the case, you did not look closely at the details of the case. Remember that "implantology is a prosthetic discipline with a surgical component". While treatment planning the case you should have noticed that there was not enough interarch space for a cementable restoration and should have planned a screw retained restoration from the beginning. No harm has been done since you can still restore the implant. You just have to explain the change and the reason for the change to the patient , and spend a little more, since the laboratory costs for a screw retained crown are higher. Good luck!

Every comment posted is right on. This problem occurs with lack of sufficient planning at the outset. You don't build a 300 ft. bridge only to find out that the span is 305 ft. With respect to amount of occlusal reduction, this question comes up time after time, year after year. It's the wrong question. The right question is, "How much tooth/abutment/post do I need to retain a crown?" A literature search will show you that 4.0 mm is ideal. Anything less is a compromise. 3.0 mm preps on natural teeth need to have almost no taper, be rough, and preferably sand-blasted. Implant abutments and RCT posts are no different. Go for 4.0 mm of crown retention on the prep, settle for 3.5 mm if you have to, and figure out a better method if you only have 3.0 mm. If you have a 5.0 mm abutment/prep/post and have to reduce it by half, it won't stay on...for long. The 6 P Principle..."Proper Planning Prevents P*ss Poor Performance."

It seems yoiu will need to go screw retained which will be a bit more expensive.There was a comment that "this is a common problem with the system" that is an unfair comment - how can the system be at fault? I would encourage the use of study models beforehand. One can also sink the polished collar slightly below the bone level - I have had no problems with bone resorption doing this.Hope it works out for you.

a screw retained does not have to cost you alot if you consider using alternative prosthetic parts that are compatible with zimmer and there are plenty on the market - for example instead of spending $200 for a gold adapt you can find them for $100 that are prosthetically compatible...