,Designed with a unique floating screw and the ability to adjust the angle of the screw channel, SMARTbase titanium abutments provide a predictable, esthetic, and affordable implant solution for clinicians and their patients ,
,There are myriad advantages of screw-retained restorations compared to cemented restorations, according to Hans Sperling, DMD, FICOI, FAGD, a practicing dentist who does his own lab work via an in-house laboratory. He says that using a screw-retained crown “eliminates the need for custom abutments and avoids having to use cement on implant crowns,” which is why he uses screw-retained restorations for “most of his anterior implant cases and almost all of his posterior cases.”, ,But sometimes, it can be difficult to adequately angle an implant for screw retention, and that presents a challenge for clinicians and laboratories. The SMARTbase abutment from Implant Direct was developed to solve this challenge., , , ,Aptly named for its Strategically Manageable Advanced Restorative Technology, SMARTbase titanium abutments include many unique features that make the implant restoration and insertion process easy for the lab and clinician. With the ability to adjust the angle of the screw channel, a unique floating screw, a discreet access cavity, and a concave gingival profile, SMARTbase abutments produce predictable, esthetic outcomes that will satisfy patients while reducing total costs. Designed for use with Implant Direct’s Legacy and InterActive/ SwishActive implant systems, SMARTbase can be used in both digital and conventional restorations. Here, Dr. Sperling and some of his peers describe why they love SMARTbase., , ,
, ,“SMARTbase eliminates the need for custom abutments and avoids having to use cement on implant crowns.”
—Hans Sperling, DMD, FICOI, FAGD, , ,Off-axis engagement gives clinicians the freedom to redirect the screw access channel from 0 to 25 degrees and allows for redirection of the screw access hole for improved esthetics and accessibility. “To provide a screw-retained crown with a proper screw access hole in the occlusal or lingual surface of anterior teeth, I know that I need to correct the implant angulation, which is possible using SMARTbase,” said Dr. Sperling. “Using SMARTbase allows me to plan implant placements where there is the most adequate bone, having the confidence that I can still correct the angulation of the implant and restore the case with a screw-retained restoration.”,
, ,For lab owner Michael Solomon, SMARTbase is ideal for use in “limited interocclusal space cases” and for “correcting the angle of the screw access when it comes out of the incisal or buccal area.” He appreciates having “the capability to alter the screw access without compromising the esthetics.” When creating abutments for doctors who don’t use guided templates, lab owner Chet Albanese says SMARTbase allows him to “put the access hole in the right spot, allowing you to angle the screw channel up to 25 degrees.” Reporting that 98% of his implant crowns are screw-retained, Albanese said, “SMARTbase has made all my screw-retained crowns so much easier.”, ,The SMARTbase Floating Screw feature allows the crown to be preassembled and pre-cemented to the SMARTbase abutment, which simplifi es placement and eliminates the risk of the screw getting lost or swallowed., ,To assist in producing an esthetically pleasing restoration, SMARTbase abutments feature dual-hue anodization, a concave profile, and a discreet access cavity. With a gold anodized restorative section and a pink anodized collar, the abutment blends with the restorative material and the gingival tissue. Praising SMARTbase’s esthetic advantages, Dr. Sperling said, “The gold anodizing color is really nice because it gives the crown a more vivid appearance and mimics the yellow in dentin.” Standard on most SMARTbase abutments, the concave profile shape encourages healing of the gingival cuff for optimal tissue management and esthetics. Naming the “concave emergence profile” as one of his favorite features, Dr. Sperling said, “I like the concavity they have at the collar. It has the right contour to preserve crestal bone, and that concavity mimics the way a tooth should come out of the bone.” A discreet access cavity allows the screw cavity to be hidden on the lingual side of the prosthesis. , ,Most Ti-base abutments only come in 1 or 2 sizes, but SMARTbase has 3 different collar heights (0, 1, and 2) and multiple profile options available to ensure that clinicians provide ideal restorations to their patients. For example, Legacy SMARTbase has 3 collar heights and profile widths, and InterActive SMARTbase has 2 collar heights and 4 profi le widths. “I like the different collar heights, which is not always available with other Ti-base abutments that only come in bone level height,” shared Dr. Sperling, adding that the various heights help move the margin of the crown away from the implant., ,“I use many Implant Direct products, including their implants, abutments, and screws,” noted Dr. Sperling. “I like their products, and whenever I use Implant Direct screws, I never have to worry about screws loosening up.”, ,
