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Abutment Teeth

Everything You Need To Know About Abutment Teeth

An abutment is a small metal connector that joins a dental implant to a dental prosthetic. It connects a dental bridge or denture to a dental implant, securely holding your dental crown in place. Here’s everything you need to know about abutment teeth. 

How Do Abutments Work?

Abutment screws act as a support for your dental crowns. If you have a dental bridge, then crowns are to be placed on two abutments connected by replacement teeth. These rest on top of your gums, effectively securing your dental crowns and bridges. Dentists usually have two options for using an abutment. Firstly, they can use a screw-retained dental crown or dental cement to place the crown. The screw-retained dental crown is an abutment, which is more efficient than dental cement. 

Can I Brush My Abutment Teeth?

Once the abutment is placed on your gums, give the affected area time to heal. Refrain from brushing the abutment right after the dental procedure. So, it’s imperative that you can lightly brush the abutment while sweeping your teeth and don’t put pressure on it. Then again, if you are using an electric toothbrush, make sure to flip off the motor while cleaning the abutment area. 

Benefits Of Abutment 

  • An abutment can provide support, stability, and retention to the dental crown. It helps you to get the optimal position suitable for definitive restoration. 
  • Some abutments are customized to suit your crown positioning, which allows for better aesthetics. 
  • Abutments allow for better teeth alignment with angled dental implants. 

How Long Do Abutment Teeth Take To Heal? 

Normally abutments take over 4-6 weeks to heal properly. It is important to strictly follow your oral surgeon’s instructions, including the dos and don’ts of eating. Your surgeon will also give necessary instructions regarding abutment cleaning to ensure infection prevention and healing. 

Types Of Abutment  

Prefabricated Abutments

Also known as stock abutments, they are made in various shapes and sizes based on patient requirements. It’s generally made from surgical stainless steel, titanium, and zirconium. 

Titanium Abutments 

It is a widely used abutment because of its titanium alloy properties. Such elements are strong and biocompatible, suitable for prosthetic restoration. 

Zirconium Abutments

These modern abutments are better used to complement dental implant restoration’s aesthetics. In the present-day scenario, zirconium abutments are considered the most desirable option, which secures your dental crown very efficiently. 

Abutment Aftercare Tips

  • After the abutment, rinse your mouth with warm salty water every 4-6 hours. Follow this for a couple of weeks.
  • Start brushing your teeth the day after the surgery, avoiding the abutment areas. 
  • Dip a gauze in antibacterial mouthwash and gently wipe on the abutment area thrice a day. 
  • Do not brush guard on the abutment area, which might delay healing. 

The Final Verdict 

Abutments are support systems for dental crowns. Once you lose a tooth, you need to replace it with bridges and crowns so that the other teeth are not put under any pressure. In such situations, you need to opt for an abutment. However, once the abutment is placed, you need to heal it to avoid any problems in the future. In addition, a healing abutment is often necessary for the dental implant procedure; it protects the hard and soft tissues. If you have lost a tooth and are looking for implants, get an abutment and secure your dental crown.