Prosthetic Crown
The visible, tooth-shaped restoration that attaches to a dental implant abutment to restore function and aesthetics.
Full Definition
A prosthetic crown in implantology is the supragingival component of the implant-supported restoration, fabricated to replicate the appearance and occlusal function of a natural tooth. It differs from a conventional crown in that it relies on an abutment and implant rather than a prepared natural tooth for support. Materials commonly include zirconia, porcelain-fused-to-metal (PFM), and monolithic ceramic. Editors working on implantology manuscripts must distinguish the crown from the abutment and fixture, as these are frequently conflated in patient-facing and lay summaries. Capitalisation is typically lowercase unless forming part of a branded product name.
Usage
Usage note: Do not abbreviate to 'crown' in technical documents without first defining the term, as this may be confused with a natural-tooth crown restoration.
In Context
- "The final prosthetic crown was seated four months after implant placement, once osseointegration was confirmed." — Clinical case report
- "Ensure the manuscript consistently distinguishes between the prosthetic crown and the abutment when describing the restoration workflow." — Copy-editing checklist