INFLUENCE OF MATERIALS OF ABUTMENTS OF IMPLANTS AND GINGIVAL FORMERS ON PERIIMPLANTATE SOFT TISSUES

The long-term stability of tissues surrounding dental implants and structural components used in dental implant prosthetics, such as abutments and healing abutments, is largely determined by the material from which the structural components are made. While the clinical outcomes of dental implants are highly reliable and well-predictable, the success of the treatment is not solely dependent on the process of osteointegration. The condition of the soft tissue complex in the peri-implant area plays a crucial role, as it forms a protective barrier between the bone structures and the oral environment. An analysis of published studies on this problem allows us to compare the effect of different abutment and gingival formers on the condition of peri-implant tissues. Dental researchers have studied not only the clinical signs of inflammatory changes, but also the characteristics of the immune response, the nature of the interaction between materials and soft tissues, and the severity of bacterial colonization on the surface of abutments. Titanium remains the most widely used material for implant-supported prosthetics. Its use is associated with a combination of mechanical reliability and high biological compatibility, which ensures a stable position in implantology practice. However, zirconium dioxide has advantages in some cases, especially in aesthetically significant areas, and authors have described less bacterial adhesion and a more favorable soft tissue response. Polymer materials, particularly polyetheretherketone for temporary abutments, are of particular interest. They are considered a promising direction, but the available clinical data is insufficient for definitive conclusions. Thus, when assessing the factors affecting the success of implantology treatment, the material of the abutment and the gingival formers should be considered as one of the key parameters. It is from this factor that the preservation of biological stability of periimplant soft tissues in the long term depends to a large extent.