Screwmentable implant-supported prostheses: A systematic review.

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: Screwmentable prostheses were developed to combine the benefits of screw retention and cement retention. However, data are limited on the clinical performance of this type of prosthesis. PURPOSE: The purpose of this systematic review was to collect scientific evidence on screwmentable prostheses and evaluate their long-term clinical behavior. MATERIAL AND METHODS: An electronic search was conducted by 2 independent reviewers for articles published in scientific dental journals in English from 2004 to April 2020. The search strategy followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Inclusion criteria were scientific studies concerning the screwmentable type of prosthesis. RESULTS: The search provided 494 records. Of these, 24 studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria and were included in the review. The included articles presented significant heterogeneity concerning the manufacturing process and the materials used. One randomized clinical trial, 2 prospective clinical studies, 14 in vitro studies, 3 protocol descriptions, 1 case series, and 3 case reports were included. CONCLUSIONS: Based on the systematic search of the literature, it is concluded that the screwmentable prosthesis combines advantages of both cement-retained and screw-retained restorations, including passive fit, retrievability, excess cement control, tissue-friendly emergence profile, and improved esthetics. Nevertheless, data from well-designed clinical trials are limited, and further research is required to provide evidence on their long-term clinical behavior.