Abutment for dental implant and associated components for use therewith

An abutment for use with an implant placed in a bone of a patient comprising a mounting portion for receipt in an implant, a central portion having a smoothly curved outer surface and a prosthetic mounting post extending from the central portion. the post being generally cylindrical and tapered with a decreasing circumference as the distance from the central portion increases, the post having an inboard side at the central portion and an outboard side at a distal free end of the post, the post formed with a locking step of increased circumference on the outboard side of the step relative to the circumference on the inboard side of the step, the step being formed at a given distance from the central portion, a sleeve member having first and second ends formed with a bore extending from the first to the second end, the bore formed with a taper generally matching that of the prosthetic mounting post and with the first end receivable on the central portion of the abutment, the sleeve member having a distance selected from the first to the second ends so that the second end is disposed closely adjacent the locking step on the inboard side of the mounting post when the first end of the sleeve member is received on the central portion of the abutment and the bore of the sleeve member at the second end having a circumference matching that of the mounting post at the inboard side of the step.