Avoid Screwups! Navigating Implant Prosthetic Complications-Avoid Screwups! Navigating Implant Prosthetic Complications

Video Transcription

Video Summary

The webinar, presented by Dr. Benjamin Schwartz, focused on preventing and managing common implant prosthetic complications, especially in single-unit restorations but with principles applicable to bridges and full-arch cases. Dr. Schwartz organized the lecture around three phases: prevention, insertion, and post-insertion troubleshooting.<br /><br />His main prevention framework was “SOAP”: soft tissue, occlusion, angulation, and platform. He emphasized that adequate keratinized tissue is essential for long-term success, recommending about 2 mm on the buccal and ideally lingual sides. He also discussed custom healing abutments and buccal roll flaps as ways to shape tissue for better emergence profiles. Occlusion was highlighted as critical because implants lack a periodontal ligament; light axial contacts, minimal excursive forces, and regular occlusal checks are important. Angulation and path of insertion must be evaluated to avoid undercuts, poor emergence, and seating problems. Platform verification was also stressed, with radiographs used to confirm full seating of scan bodies or impression copings.<br /><br />For impressions, he compared digital, closed tray, and open tray techniques, favoring digital when possible but noting that each has a role. During insertion, he recommended checking contacts, radiographs for seating, and addressing bony impingement with proper bone profiling kits if needed. He also reviewed screw-retained versus cement-retained restorations, strongly favoring screw-retained designs when feasible because they avoid excess cement and are more retrievable. For cemented cases, he emphasized extraoral cement cleanup and minimal cement use. He also discussed screw-mentable crowns and angulated screw channels.<br /><br />Finally, he covered common complications such as stuck healing caps, loose crowns, fractured screws, and excess Teflon removal, offering practical techniques and tools for retrieval and repair.

Asset Caption

Description Real cases. Real complications. This session unpacks mechanical and esthetic missteps through real-world implant cases. We’ll explore the patterns behind failure, the strategies that turn setbacks into success and the key red flags to catch complications before they occur. Learning Objectives Diagnose mechanical and esthetic complications in implant-supported prosthetics using case-based patterns and clinical red flags. Deconstruct failure pathways and apply corrective strategies that reinforce biomechanical integrity, esthetics, and long-term predictability. Enhance treatment planning precision by minimizing long-term complications and optimizing outcomes. Speaker Bio Benjamin Schwartz, DDS, FAGD, has been practicing dentistry for over 15 years and has been published in numerous dental journals. A New York native, Schwartz is a member of the American Dental Association, a Fellow of AGD, a fellow of the International Congress of Oral Implantologists, and a fellow of the American Dental Implant Association. In addition, Schwartz also teaches part-time at Touro College of Dental Medicine, helping to

Keywords

implant prosthetic complications

single-unit restorations

SOAP framework

keratinized tissue

occlusion management

angulation and path of insertion

platform verification

digital impressions

screw-retained restorations

post-insertion troubleshooting