Direct answer

After the clinical team determines that the implant and tissues are ready, records are made for the final crown, bridge, or prosthesis. The restoration is designed for appearance, bite, tissue support, and cleaning, then connected through the implant system. A zirconia implant does not require every crown or connection component to be zirconia.

Key takeaways

  • Readiness for restoration is determined clinically, not by a fixed date alone.
  • Crown material and implant-body material are separate choices.
  • Screw-retained and cemented restorations have different service considerations.
  • Contours should support tissue without blocking hygiene.
  • A final crown can need repair or replacement while the implant remains integrated.

Records and design

Digital or conventional impressions, scans, photographs, shade records, bite information, and temporary-tissue contours can guide the restoration. The laboratory and clinical team design the emergence, contacts, shape, and material around the exact implant components.

How the restoration is retained

A restoration may be screw-retained, cemented, or use a system-specific combination. Screw retention can aid retrievability but requires a suitable access path. Cemented designs require careful control of margins and excess cement. One-piece ceramic implants have their own restoration protocols.

What is checked at delivery

The team evaluates fit, contacts, bite, appearance, tissue response, phonetics where relevant, access for cleaning, and component tightening or cementation. Baseline clinical and radiographic information may be recorded for future comparison.

Before you leave with the final tooth

Ask for a demonstration of cleaning tools and access points, the component and restoration record, maintenance interval, repair pathway, and symptoms to report. A changed bite, movement, chipping, food trapping, bleeding, or discomfort deserves assessment.

Selected references

  1. European Federation of Periodontology. Prevention and treatment of peri-implant diseases: EFP S3-level clinical practice guideline. J Clin Periodontol. 2023. PMID: 37271498.
  2. Gul A, et al. Zirconia dental implants; relationship between design and clinical outcome. Journal of Dentistry. 2024;143:104903. doi:10.1016/j.jdent.2024.104903.