A screw is the part of a dental implant that screws into the jawbone to anchor the abutment and the bridge or crown. There are two different types of screws: lab screws, or laboratory screws, and gold screws. A lab screw is generally considered stronger than a gold screw and can withstand excessive force. Gold screws, however, mold to the patient’s jawbone over time since gold is somewhat malleable for a metal. When force is applied, gold screws will slightly change their shape to accommodate the pressure. Laboratory screws are not the industry-recommended method for anchoring dental implants, so it’s important to double-check the warranties on other implant components and make sure they are not rendered invalid by using a lab screw. Because gold screws are created to fail when excess force is applied instead of breaking the implant, gold screws can protect the implant better than lab screws.