The Procera abutment--the fifth generation abutment for dental implants.

The Brånemark dental implant has undergone progressive development in terms of both the implant body itself and the components connecting the implant to the prosthesis. Many screw and abutment designs have been developed, with various degrees of success. About 15 years ago, CAD (computer-assisted design)-CAM (computer-assisted manufacture) technology was introduced to dentists. More recently CAD-CAM has been used in the manufacture of abutments for implants. This article reviews currently available techniques for creating the Procera custom abutment (Nobel Biocare, Göteborg, Sweden) and outlines appropriate applications for this type of implant.