Tooth-implant connection: A bibliographic review

ABSTRACT

The aim of this study was to carry out a bibliographic review of all available literature addressing the issue ofwhether or not the connection of teeth to implants by means of a prosthesis is a viable treatment alternative.Twenty articles from a variety of sources were analyzed and classified in order to draw conclusions. Articles wereclassified by type and an analysis was made of the different variables considered in each study, obtaining percentagesof implant survival ranging from 84.4% to 100%, prosthetic complications ranging from 80% to 90%, andthe incidence of dental intrusion ranging from 0 to 5.6%. Biomechanical studies: Some articles studied models inorder to assess different connections subjected to force, in which varying results were obtained. Rigid connectionsappeared to produce the most stress to the natural tooth, periodontal ligament and peri-implant bone; non-rigidconnections reduced the stress to the bone, but increased stress to the prosthesis. Clinical studies: The resultsobtained were disparate. Studies in the medium or short-term show this as a viable treatment alternative, whereassome studies point to a greater risk of complications, although the use of rigid connection decreases the percentageof intrusion. Other bibliographic reviews have concluded that there is a need for more longitudinal studies onthe viability of tooth-implant connection, also concluding that complications are greater when this is the chosentreatment. As a viable alternative with an acceptable success rate, this course of treatment is always associatedwith rigid connection rather than non-rigid connection. Although intrusion is avoided with rigid connection, thisnevertheless remains inadvisable as the primary treatment choice (AU)