Why would you have to get a dental abutment?

"Abutment" is a general term used in dentistry to describe a connecting object. Abutments may be used with dental bridges, partial dentures and different types of implants.

Dental bridge abutments connect the bridge to teeth so that all teeth remain parallel. Abutments may be used with partial dentures as guide planes or to recontour the teeth. Prosthetic implant abutments are usually crafted out of metals, such as gold or surgical stainless steel or white ceramic. Implants are inserted into an area where a tooth is missing, and a ceramic crown is bonded to it. Abutment implants are secured by either a butt joint or cold welding, depending on how many pieces are being inserted.