Statement of problem: Evidence relating to the choice of materials for single implant-supported crowns is sparse.
Purpose: The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to assess articles that compared the clinical performance of ceramic and metal-ceramic (MC) implant-supported single crowns with regard to prosthesis failure, complication rate, and patient satisfaction.
Material and methods: A comprehensive search of databases (PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, and Cochrane Library) was performed. The last search was conducted in December 2019. Randomized clinical trials comparing ceramic and MC implant-supported single crowns with at least a 12-month follow-up were included, all of which were published in English. The pooled effects were presented as both a risk difference (RD) and mean difference according to the type of data with 95% confidence intervals (CIs).
Results: Seven randomized clinical trials fulfilled the eligibility criteria and were included in the meta-analysis. The pooled data did not show any statistically significant differences concerning prosthesis failure (RD: 0.000, 95% CI: -0.05 to 0.06), marginal bone loss (mean difference [MD]: -0.02, 95% CI: -0.75 to 0.35), mechanical complications (RD: -0.06, 95% CI: -0.18 to 0.07), biological complications (RD: 0.02, 95% CI: -0.07 to 0.11), or patient satisfaction (MD: 4.86, 95% CI: -2.86 to 12.58).
Conclusions: Ceramic and MC crowns had similar outcomes with regard to prosthesis failure, mechanical and biological complication rates, and patient satisfaction. As a result, the selection of single implant crown material depends on the preference of the dentist and patient.
Copyright © 2020 Editorial Council for the Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.