Bicon Compatible Shouldered Post Abutment — Full Details

Titan's Bicon-compatible abutments restore 3.0mm well implants (4.5mm, 5.0mm, and 6.0mm diameter, including Bicon SHORT® implants) using the system's defining 1.5° locking-taper cold-weld connection. There is no anti-rotation feature in the Bicon implant — abutments can be seated at any rotational position (true 360° universal positioning), giving complete freedom to optimize emergence profile and margin placement without rotational constraints.

Important: 2.0mm post abutments are for anterior positions only. Use 3.0mm posts for all posterior restorations.

When should I choose a Titan Bicon-compatible Shouldered Post Abutment vs. a Non-Shouldered Post Abutment?

Shouldered Post Abutment (BC-3PA / Titan Design with Octagon Base BC-3A-PA)

The shouldered design incorporates a machined flare — the shoulder — at the base of the prep chimney. This shoulder:

• Establishes a definitive margin for the crown with no ambiguity for the lab
• Creates emergence support that shapes and holds peri-implant soft tissue for a natural exit profile
• Features horizontal reference grooves in the chimney that serve as height measurement guides, significantly increase cement retention, and allow retrievability
• Has an internal chimney thread to carry the abutment to the implant on the long screw — no hemostat needed
• Supports both cement-retained and screw-retained crowns

The Titan Design version (BC-3A-PA) adds an octagon base providing eight indexed seating positions (every 45°) for multi-unit cases, screw-retained restorations, and CAD/CAM workflows where orientation must transfer reproducibly between mouth and cast.

Choose the Shouldered Abutment when:

• The case needs a defined, predictable restorative margin without full custom lab fabrication
• Natural emergence profile support from a stock part is appropriate
• Cement retention and retrievability are clinical priorities
• The tissue depth, tooth size, and inter-occlusal space fall within available stock dimensions

Non-Shouldered Post Abutment (BC-3572NSPA)

A straight, tapered cylindrical post with no built-in flare or margin. The emergence profile, shoulder geometry, and margin location are entirely created by the lab through modification of the post blank.

Choose the Non-Shouldered Abutment when:

• The required emergence profile or margin location cannot be achieved by any stock shouldered dimension
• Unusual tissue anatomy — extreme depth, asymmetric gingival architecture, or an atypical ridge form — demands a fully custom contour
• A highly experienced lab technician will fabricate the abutment entirely from the post blank
• Maximum modifiable flexibility is the overriding priority

The non-shouldered design takes more lab time and expertise than the shouldered option. For straightforward cases that fit stock dimensions, the shouldered abutment is more efficient and more predictable.

How do I select collar height, profile diameter, and prep height for a Bicon-compatible Post Abutment?

Post Size — First Decision

Collar Height (vertical distance from implant platform to the shoulder margin)

Bicon implants are typically placed at or slightly below the bone crest. The collar height must bridge from the implant platform through the bone and soft tissue to the desired margin location.

1. Probe from the gingival crest down to the implant platform at both the buccal and lingual aspects.
2. Use the greater of the two measurements — the buccal is usually deeper.
3. Subtract ½ to 1mm to place the restorative margin slightly subgingival.
4. Choose the closest available collar height in the Titan Bicon catalog.

If buccal and lingual depths differ significantly and a scalloped margin is desired, the shoulder can be contoured with a carbide bur to follow the gingival architecture.

Pro tip: The most accurate collar height comes from a tissue model impression taken with a transfer coping before abutment selection — the cast replicates tissue contour exactly, letting the lab choose and modify from a physical model rather than relying on probing measurements alone.

Profile (Emergence) Diameter (abutment width at the gingival exit point)

Because the Bicon system has no rotational anti-rotation feature, profile diameter can be optimized purely for tooth morphology and tissue contour — a significant esthetic advantage over hex-indexed systems.

1. Measure available space between adjacent root surfaces at the edentulous site.
2. Subtract 2mm — minimum 1mm clearance per side between the abutment flare and adjacent root.
3. Match to the natural tooth type:

A profile too narrow collapses the tissue and creates black triangles; too wide blanches the tissue and risks recession and hygiene problems.

Prep Height (length of the restorative chimney above the shoulder)

Available: 4.0mm, 5.5mm, and 7.0mm.

1. Measure from the gingival crest to the opposing occlusal surface.
2. Subtract 3mm — minimum crown material thickness required.
3. Choose the prep height that does not exceed this value.

If inter-occlusal space is limited, choose the shorter prep height and review space management with the restorative team before placing the abutment.

Quick Reference — Shouldered vs. Non-Shouldered

Important: 2.0mm post abutments are for anterior positions only.