Dental implant esthetics.

Abstract

As dental implants have become an increasingly popular restorative therapy and their stability and functional benefits have become widely acknowledged, newly applied surgical and prosthetic techniques are enabling dentists to approach patients' esthetic expectations. Esthetic results of implant-supported fixed bridges, retrievable bridges, and overdentures are influenced by the amount of soft and bone tissue as well as by the placement of the implants themselves. Tissue augmentation procedures that restore normal tissue contour and allow more ideal implant placement help minimize esthetic compromises. The use of modified abutments that are angulated and placed directly in the implant can offset weak implant placement. Finally, overdentures should be constructed if these techniques cannot be used or if their use still results in compromised esthetic results.