Patient-friendly definition from the DentistsDirectory.org dental glossary.
An abutment is the structural anchor that connects a dental restoration to its support. The word comes from architecture, where an abutment is the structure that bears the load of a bridge. In dentistry it has two related meanings depending on context — bridges and implants.
When a bridge replaces a missing tooth, the natural teeth on either side of the gap are the abutment teeth. These are permanently shaped down and capped with crowns that support the false tooth (called a pontic) suspended between them. Because abutment teeth must absorb the biting forces of the missing tooth, they need to be structurally sound. Preparing them for a bridge is irreversible, which is one reason implants are preferred when feasible — implants do not require altering adjacent teeth at all.
In implant dentistry, the abutment is a separate connector piece that attaches to the top of the implant post after osseointegration is complete. It protrudes above the gum line and provides the platform on which the final crown is seated. Some implant systems use a one-piece design combining the implant and abutment; others attach the abutment at a second appointment. Healing around the abutment typically takes two to four weeks before the final crown is placed.