Universal Soft Tissue Abutment for Cement- and Screw-Retained Restorations

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing dental implant systems support either cement-retained or screw-retained prosthetic components but not both, limiting flexibility and versatility in dental restoration options.

Innovation Solution

A universal soft tissue level abutment part that can be attached to a bone level dental implant, allowing it to selectively support either a cement-retained or a screw-retained final restoration, with features like a flat circumferential top surface and indexing elements to prevent rotation, and a design that maintains a soft tissue seal.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a dental implant system is designed to support only cement-retained or screw-retained prosthetic components, then the system structure can be simplified, but the versatility and flexibility of restoration options are limited

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverestoration optionsVSAvoidabutment system structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The abutment system is designed with a universal soft tissue level abutment part that can support both cement-retained and screw-retained prosthetic components. The abutment includes a recess that can receive either a cement-retained prosthetic component or a screw-retained prosthetic component, allowing a single abutment design to serve multiple restoration types.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Adaptability or versatility

If the abutment system uses a unified design for both cement-retained and screw-retained restorations, then clinical flexibility is improved, but the risk of disrupting the soft tissue seal increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveclinical flexibilityVSAvoidsoft tissue seal integrity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The abutment design incorporates specific local features including a recess with particular dimensions and geometry that accommodates both restoration types while maintaining the soft tissue seal. The recess is positioned and sized to allow proper seating of either prosthetic component type without compromising the surrounding soft tissue interface.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Reliability

If separate abutment systems are used for cement-retained and screw-retained restorations, then each system can be optimized for its specific function, but the number of components and procedural steps increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverestoration-specific optimizationVSAvoidnumber of components

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention merges the functionality of separate abutment systems into a single unified abutment design. The soft tissue level abutment part integrates features that allow it to support both cement-retained and screw-retained prosthetic components, eliminating the need for different abutment types and reducing the total number of components required in the dental implant system.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS12390309B2Abutment system and dental methods

Publication Date: 2025.08.19 NOBEL BIOCARE SERVICES AG

AI summary

The present application relates to an abutment system (12) and its use. The abutment system (12) comprises: a soft tissue level abutment part (10) adapted to be attached to a bone level dental implant (40) by means of an abutment screw (56), wherein the abutment system is adapted to selectively support both a cement-retained final restoration (66) and a screw-retained prosthetic component (68; 70). The present application also relates to dental methods.