Incidence of abutment screw failure of single or splinted implant prostheses: A review and update on current clinical status

Abstract

Osseointegrated implants have been widely used for decades with high survival and success rates. However, mechanical complications continue to be reported in the literature, and their clinical management can be often very challenging for the clinician while there is no consensus on the ideal management. The aim of this manuscript was to review the risk factors of abutment screw complications, to identify the most recent incidence of screw failure in the clinical setting and report on the methodology used and the outcome of intervention. Clinical studies and reports were reviewed that reported on abutment screw looseness and/or fracture. A search of the electronic database PUBMED was conducted in November 2018, including manuscripts published in English from 2004 to 2018. Study selection: animal studies, narrative reviews, expert opinions and communications/letters were excluded. Further exclusion criteria included reports on occlusal prosthetic screws and fracture of abutments, and reports that did not provide adequate data. A total of 12 manuscripts were finally included that reported on single implant crowns or 2-unit implant fixed dental prosthesis. To conclude, the most current abutment screw loosening incidence ranges between 7% and 11%, while the abutment screw fracture incidence was found to be 0.6%. The majority reported on fracture of the screw body. Screw loosening or fracture was often located at the first molar restored area, while the maxillary central incisor area was also reported as an area that presented screw fracture. No single abutment screw failure management can be identified as the ideal treatment approach.

Keywords: abutment screw fracture; abutment screw loosening; abutment screw retrieval; implant abutment screw.