Modern concepts in Implant-Supported Fixed Complete Dental Prostheses (IFCDPs): from traditional solutions to current monolithic zirconia restorations. Concise review

Abstract

Implant-supported fixed complete dental prostheses (IFCDPs) can be made with different prosthetic designs in a wide range of material combinations. The choice of materials and the implant-prosthetic design are closely linked. In the recent past, the combinations of materials used for full-arch fixed prosthetic restorations were exclusively: metal-acrylic resin, metal-composite resin and metal-ceramic. In the last two decades, zirconia frameworks have become increasingly popular in the implant prosthetic field and the introduction of CAD/CAM technology has made it possible to approach full-arch restorations in a different way. The most advanced implant-prosthetic designs exploit the aesthetic and mechanical strength qualities of the latest generation monolithic zirconia. These solutions looks very promising. However, the long-term outcome of these implant-supported rehabilitations remains still unknown due to the lack of sufficient clinical data.