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Inside Dentistry
September 2010
Volume 6, Issue 8

Protemp™ Crown Temporization Material

Quickly and esthetically temporizing implant abutments.

Options for temporizing implant abutments have previously been undesirable. If a patient requested a temporary crown in the past, it could be attempted with a methyl methacrylate powder and liquid mix or bisacrylic liquid and liquid mix, but the resulting temporary was typically both unesthetic and quite time consuming. Without a preoperative model or matrix, the dentist could attempt to mold the mix into place, shape it and polish it, but the process could take up to 20 minutes to yield a crown that was not even esthetically pleasing.

Now, however, a new option is available to quickly and esthetically temporize implant abutments. 3M™ ESPE™ Protemp™ Crown Temporization Material, which many dentists are familiar with for its traditional crown indication, is now also indicated for implant abutments. This preformed malleable temporary crown can be quickly adapted onto an abutment, light-cured, and cemented in less than 5 minutes, offering a significant breakthrough to dentists who are looking to meet patients’ esthetic demands during the implant process.

The Protemp Crown was introduced in 2007 for use in single-unit posterior temporization. As many dentists discovered then, the material’s preformed anatomical shape and tooth-colored shade make it a fast and simple solution for crown temporization. The crowns can be customized with conventional flowable material, making them exceptionally convenient to fit to a crown preparation. The material also demonstrates excellent strength, with manufacturer data showing it offers high compressive, tensile, and flexural strength. These characteristics make it easy for dentists to adopt this reliable material for use in molar, cuspid, and bicuspid temporization cases.

Now, new clinical data demonstrates that the Protemp Crown can bring the same ease and simplicity to implant cases as it does to crown indications. Its adaptability and versatility make it useful for the temporization of both one- and two-stage implants after healing and osseointegration have occurred and the temporary abutment has been placed.

The material is simple to use in practice. It comes in one tooth-colored shade and several sizes. The dentist needs only to select the proper size, adapt the crown to the abutment, light-cure, polish, and cement it. There is no need for an impression or matrix, and no hardware or mix tips are involved in the fabrication. The crown is custom fit by trimming it with scissors and re-shaping it chairside, with additional customization or repairs made possible with the use of a flowable restorative.

Versatility with a Number of Implants

The crown is adaptable to any of the wide variety of abutment shapes and brands. Some brands of implants provide a plastic cap that snaps on to the metal abutment, while most other brands simply offer the abutment itself. Protemp Crown can be adapted to fit either of these abutment types. The time savings that can be realized by using the Protemp Crown are significant; it is a true night-and-day difference when compared with creating a temporary by hand. The Protemp Crown can be fitted and cemented in approximately 4 to 5 minutes, while creating a plastic temporary might take 15 to 20 minutes. Additionally, the final appearance of the Protemp Crown will be better than a temporary made with powder and liquid.

Discussion

Previously, there has simply not been an acceptable solution to the problem of unesthetic implant abutments. The Protemp Crown, however, presents a very elegant solution to the problem, and allows dentists to offer a higher level of service to patients than before. Patients truly appreciate a dentist who will go the extra mile to meet their needs, and this procedure is one more way to meet and exceed their expectations.

About the Author

This article was written by Jeffrey B. Dalin, DDS, who practices general dentistry in St. Louis, Missouri

For more information, contact:

3M ESPE
Phone: 800-634-2249
Web: https://www.3mespe.com

Disclaimer

The preceding material was provided by the manufacturer. The statements and opinions contained therein are solely those of the manufacturer and not of the editors, publisher, or the Editorial Board of Inside Dentistry. The preceding is not a warranty, endorsement, or approval for the aforementioned products or services or their effectiveness, quality, or safety on the part of Inside Dentistry or AEGIS Communications. The publisher disclaims responsibility for any injury to persons or property resulting from any ideas or products referred to in the preceding material.

Figure 1  The abutment and white cap on tooth No. 19, post-healing and after the abutment has been torqued into place.

Figure 1

Figure 2  A view of the abutment with the white cap removed. The white cap should be roughened with a bur and the surface appropriately treated.

Figure 2

Figure 3  The Protemp™ Crown after being trimmed, adjusted, and tack-cured.

Figure 3

Figure 4  The crown is filled with a flowable restorative and placed back over the white cap and cured on all surfaces for 10 seconds. The crown and white cap are removed and cured for an additional 50 seconds.

Figure 4

Figure 5  The crown and white cap are cemented with temporary cement.

Figure 5

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