Dental Implants Implant Anatomy & Components 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the primary component of a dental implant that is surgically placed into the jawbone?
- Abutment
- Crown
- Fixture (implant body) (Correct answer)
- Healing cap
Correct answer: Fixture (implant body)
The fixture, or implant body, is the titanium screw-shaped post surgically embedded into the alveolar bone.
Question 2: Which material is most commonly used to manufacture dental implant fixtures in the US?
- Cobalt-chromium
- Zirconia
- Titanium (Correct answer)
- Gold alloy
Correct answer: Titanium
Titanium is the standard material due to its biocompatibility, strength, and ability to osseointegrate with bone.
Question 3: What is the abutment's role in a dental implant system?
- It anchors into the jawbone
- It connects the implant fixture to the prosthetic crown (Correct answer)
- It prevents infection during healing
- It stimulates bone growth
Correct answer: It connects the implant fixture to the prosthetic crown
The abutment is the connector piece that attaches to the implant fixture and supports the final crown or prosthesis.
Question 4: A healing abutment (healing cap) is used primarily to:
- Permanently retain the crown
- Shape the peri-implant soft tissue during healing (Correct answer)
- Prevent the implant from moving
- Bond the abutment to the fixture
Correct answer: Shape the peri-implant soft tissue during healing
Healing abutments are placed after implant surgery to contour and guide the gingival tissue into the proper emergence profile.
Question 5: What is the implant-abutment connection zone called where the two components meet?
- Micro-gap (Correct answer)
- Emergence profile
- Platform
- Cervical junction
Correct answer: Micro-gap
The micro-gap is the small interface between the implant fixture and abutment where bacterial colonization can occur if not properly sealed.
Question 6: Which implant surface treatment is commonly used to enhance osseointegration?
- Electropolishing
- Sand-blasting and acid-etching (SLA) (Correct answer)
- Gold plating
- Teflon coating
Correct answer: Sand-blasting and acid-etching (SLA)
SLA (sand-blasted, large-grit, acid-etched) surfaces create micro-roughness that significantly improves bone cell attachment and osseointegration speed.
Dental Implants Implant Anatomy & Components 1
What is the primary component of a dental implant that is surgically placed into the jawbone?