A simplified method to develop optimal gingival contours for the single implant-supported, metal-ceramic crown in the aesthetic zone.

Abstract

Prosthetic replacement of the missing single maxillary central incisor with an implant-supported crown represents a profound aesthetic challenge for the restorative dentist, laboratory technician, and surgeon. In addition to the visual fidelity of color, translucency, contour, and surface texture, the proper soft tissue outline is sacrosanct to the illusion of a natural tooth. The contrast between the uniformly round shoulder of the implant and the tooth's curvilinear cementoenamel junction is particularly problematic. This clinical report demonstrates a simplified method that precisely controls the facial gingival and proximal soft tissue contours for implant-supported, metal-ceramic crowns in the aesthetic zone, using the cervical anatomy of the maxillary incisor tooth as a guide. A new role for the provisional crown that is intended to maximize the volume of keratinized tissue is also described.