Minimally Invasive

Reconstruction in
Implant Therapy:
The Prosthetic
Gingival Restoration

Christian Coachman, CCD, CDT1

Eric Van Dooren, DDS2
Galip Gurel, DDS, MS3
Marcelo A. Calamita, DDS, MSc, PhD1
Murilo Calgaro, CDT4
Juvenal de Souza Neto, CDT5

I
n spite of the recent developments in periodontal want to undergo regenerative surgical procedures
and peri-implant surgical regenerative procedures, (Figs 3 to 14). The innovative hybrid prosthetic gingi-
completely and predictably reestablishing the hard val restoration (Figs 6 to 9) makes it possible to pre-
and soft tissue contours is still a challenge in cases dictably achieve an excellent match between the pros-
with three-dimensional (3D) ridge deficiencies (Figs 1 thetic and natural gingiva. Understanding the
and 2). indications and procedures involved with this tech-
This article presents a reliable and consistent alter- nique requires a paradigm shift for the whole interdis-
native to prosthetically restore cases with an uncertain ciplinary team, but with considerable benefits to the
surgical outcome or for those patients who do not patient.
Surgical procedures to reestablish the 3D architec-
ture of hard and soft tissue ridge deformities have
1
Private Practice, São Paulo, Brazil. been developed and performed successfully through-
2
Private Practice, Antwerp, Belgium. out the last 15 years. In some cases, however, even
3
Private Practice, Istanbul, Turkey. after several state-of-the-art regenerative procedures
4
Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil. such as bone grafting, soft tissue grafting, and or-
5
Joinville, Santa Catarina, Brazil.
thodontic relocation, the results are still unpredictable,
Correspondence to: Christian Coachman, Rua Bento de Andrade,
with compromised esthetic and functional results.1–7
116 São Paulo, Brazil 04503-000. Email: ccoachman@hotmail.com

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 COACHMAN ET AL

Figs 1 and 2 Preoperative situation. The maxillary right lateral incisor and canine are missing, with exten-
sive soft and hard tissue deficiencies. The right central incisor and first premolar will be extracted due to
lack of interdental bone support and a peri-apical lesion.

Fig 3 Try-in of the diagnostic wax-up, Fig 4 Healing after immediate implant Fig 5 Ceramic try-in.
which will guide the 3D implant place- placement.
ment and the design of the final
restoration.

Figs 6 and 7 The gingival part of the restoration, made of pink ceramic, is only a background that will be
overlayed with pink composite resin.

Figs 8 and 9 The restoration after the addition of the direct pink composite resin.

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 Minimally Invasive Reconstruction in Implant Therapy: The Prosthetic Gingival Restoration

10 11

12 13

Figs 10 to 13 Final out-

come with excellent inte-
gration of the restoration.

Figs 14a and 14b One-

year postoperative radio-
graphs showing accept-
able bone levels around
the dental implants
(Nobel Active RP, Nobel
Biocare, Göteborg, Swe-
den).

14a 14b

The biggest challenge in alveolar ridge augmenta- patients requiring tissue reconstruction will expose
tion is the vertical aspect of the defect (Figs 15 to their gingival and ridge deficiencies. This informa-
21), including papillae and gingival margin levels, tion, in addition to the fact that patients are becom-
which are the most esthetically important areas of ing more and more esthetically demanding, creates
the gingiva. Tjan et al8 showed that approximately an explosive combination, since all available surgical
80% of the population display part of their gingiva procedures are often insufficient to reestablish ideal
when smiling, which means that the vast majority of esthetics.

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 COACHMAN ET AL

Figs 15 to 17 Preoperative
situation with extensive cir-
cumferential bone loss. Note
the bone loss on the mesial
aspect of the right central and
left lateral incisors. The size,
location, and shape of the de-
fect would lead to very low
predictability with conven-
tional restorations.

15 16 17

18 19 20 21

Fig 18 Ridge deficiency analysis. The dotted lines indicate Fig 20 The red area indicates the amount of bone that
the preoperative bone level (white), soft tissue (pink), and should be regenerated to support ideal soft tissue esthetics
crown situation (yellow).
Fig 21 The red arrow shows the vertical distance between
Fig 19 Solid lines indicate the ideal position of the bone, the preoperative situation and the ideal situation. This verti-
soft tissue, and crown. cal gain, which is important for the final esthetic result, is
the most challenging and unpredictable surgical modality.

The prosthetic gingival restoration in implant ther- Teamwork and an interdisciplinary treatment plan
apy can be an esthetic and functional alternative for are paramount to the diagnosis, execution, and long-
reconstructing ridge deformities.2,9–18 When designed term success of this restoration. After identifying the
from the outset—rather than being used as a last re- patient’s needs and expectations, the implantologist,
sort—it can dictate all adjunctive procedures neces- periodontist, prosthodontist, and dental technician
sary to achieve superior results.2,19 must recognize all obstacles to attaining the ideal pink
and white esthetic results, and should discuss the
technical and biologic limitations of each specialist’s
role. All diagnostic data must be clearly communi-
TREATMENT PLANNING cated to the patient. Because many of these patients
have already undergone unsuccessful regenerative
When properly indicated, the prosthetic gingival procedures, they should be aware of the possibility of
restoration can predictably reestablish the esthetics of a compromised final outcome.
the missing soft tissue, reproducing the shape, color, The prosthetic gingival restoration is a consistent al-
and texture of the patient’s natural gingival.11–14,16,20–22 ternative to restore the patient’s dentogingival complex.

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 Minimally Invasive Reconstruction in Implant Therapy: The Prosthetic Gingival Restoration

Fig 22 Diagnostic wax-up showing the amount of missing soft tissue and the
ideal tooth shape. Managing the space was challenging because of the mesiodis-
tal distance, which was smaller for the left central incisor than for the right central
incisor. To solve this problem, the future crown was planned to maintain the buc-
cal position as in the preoperative situation.

Figs 23 and 24 Surgical guide. The

two black lines on the stent show the
cementoenamel junction and the api-
cal limit of the pink wax. The second
line will be the depth guide for implant
placement. The coronal part of the im-
plant body should be located apically
of this second surgical stent line and
must allow for palatal screw access.
23 24

Advantages: tissue conditioning, and restoration design are

planned specifically for this technique.
• Improves the predictability of pink and white es-
thetic restorations.
• Reduces the need for and complexity of technique- IMPLANT PLACEMENT:
sensitive surgical procedures.
• Is not dependent on the patient’s previous treat-
DENTOGINGIVAL DIAGNOSTIC
ments and restorations. [Au: Correct?] WAX-UP
• Improves intraoral comfort and air sealing during
speech because of the smooth, uniform, and cleans- The dentogingival diagnostic wax-up (Fig 22) will pro-
able interface of the prosthetic gingiva with the re- duce an ideal esthetic restoration and will be the ulti-
maining tissues.17,23 mate guide for the surgical (Figs 23 and 24), restora-
• Simplifies technical and clinical procedures, thus de- tive, and laboratory procedures. The dental technician
creasing cost and time. must have a deep understanding of the 3D tooth and
• Makes it possible to compensate for inadequate implant positioning, gingival esthetics, and soft tissue
maxillomandibular relationships.21 management to design and execute an adequate
dentogingival wax-up and restorations with harmony,
Disdvantages: balance, and continuity of form between the natural
and prosthetic gingiva.14,17,20,22,24–26
• Requires proper patient education during treatment During this stage, the dental team will analyze the
planning; otherwise, the patient may get frustrated 3D volume of tissue loss, implant position, and gingi-
when comparing the prosthetic gingival restoration val interfaces, based on the Quadrant’s Concept (Figs
to a removable partial denture. 25 to 29),19 to minimize the visibility of this junction,
• Requires an individualized maintenance program to restore the asymmetry of the gingival architecture,
ensure long-term success and patient discipline to and replace papillae form.14,15,17,18,24,27 This wax-up will
accomplish rigorous hygiene procedures. This disad- generate a multifunctional guide with three important
vantage can be minimized when the implants, grafts, roles:

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 COACHMAN ET AL

25 26 27 28

Fig 25 Implant positioning for gingival restoration. Computed tomography scan showing
the ideal position of the crown and gingiva.

Fig 26 The intersection of the pink line and dotted line (actual position of the gingiva) de-
termines the horizontal line (yellow).

Fig 27 The blue line determines the axial position of the implant, aiming for a screw-
retained restoration.

Fig 28 The intersection of the yellow and blue lines determines the ideal position of the
implant for the pink restoration.

Fig 29 Final design of the restoration.

29

Figs 30 to 32 Immediate implant placement, palatally positioned to facilitate a screw-retained restoration. This is manda-
tory for a prosthetic gingival restoration. No attempt was made for vertical augmentation. A filler material (Bio-Oss,
Geistlich, Zürich, Switzerland) was used to fill the gap between the implant and the buccal cortical plate to minimize hori-
zontal resorption.

1. Radiographic guide that will allow the team to visu- cation, axis and, most importantly, the depth of the
alize the 3D volume of tissue loss28 in the computed implants (Figs 30 to 39).
tomography images. 3. Surgical guide for hard and soft tissue recontouring
2. Surgical guide for implant placement in prosthetic to minimize the visibility of the junction between
gingival restoration cases, dictating the number, lo- natural and prosthetic gingiva and to maximize
comfort and hygiene procedures.

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 Minimally Invasive Reconstruction in Implant Therapy: The Prosthetic Gingival Restoration

Figs 33 and 34 The patient’s natural tooth was used as an Fig 35 Radiograph showing the relationship between the
immediate provisional restoration, bonded to the adjacent implant and provisional. Note the apical placement of the
teeth. Care was taken to give the ideal prosthetic support to implant in relation to the cementoenamel junction of the
the buccal gingival contour to minimize horizontal resorption. adjacent teeth.

Figs 36 to 39 Postoperative computed tomography scan. Note the apical and palatal implant placement coinciding exactly
with the intersection of the yellow and blue lines, as planned on the preoperative scan.

Fig 40 Customized ceramic shade

tabs were produced for gingiva shade
selection.

Fig 41 Bisque-bake try-in to check the

shade and shape of the crown. The
shape of the pink ceramic and the in-
terface between the prosthetic and
natural gingiva should also be exam-
ined.

40 41

SOFT TISSUE CONDITIONING ing on the extension of the area to be conditioned

(Figs 40 to 44).29
The soft tissue design under the artificial gingiva is key The alveolar ridge must be flat to generate an es-
for the biologic, functional, and esthetic success of thetic and cleansable interface between prosthetic
this restoration and differs completely from that of a and natural gingiva.17,23 The lingual aspect of the pros-
conventional implant restoration. The need for soft tis- thetic gingival restoration should resemble the natural
sue conditioning should be planned on the wax-up, palatal contours to achieve comfort during mastica-
developed during the surgical and provisional phase, tion and proper phonetics, avoid food entrapment,
and refined when seating the final prosthesis, depend- and promote air sealing.

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 COACHMAN ET AL

Figs 42 and 43 If too much pressure is observed at the in- Fig 44 Shaping the submergence profile to control the
terface, the area can be conditioned further to relieve the pressure and design the interface between natural and arti-
pressure. ficial gingiva.

45 46 47 48 49 50

Fig 45 Final shape, texture, and glaze.

Fig 46 to 50 Metal-ceramic restoration after glazing and polishing.

MATERIAL SELECTION restoration more attractive and predictable.30 The hy-

brid technique is defined by a screw-retained implant
The materials available for the prosthetic gingiva are partial denture with the white esthetics and the back-
ceramics, composite resin, and acrylic resin. Each has ground of the pink esthetics developed in ceramic
its own advantages, disadvantages, and indications. and the final overlay of the pink contours developed
For cemented fixed partial restorations, ceramics in composite resin, directly in the mouth. Various kits
are usually the material of choice to reproduce pink of pink composite resins designed for this technique
and white esthetics.11–18 Due to the fact that ceramic is with different colors and stains allow for a customized
a delicate and challenging material to handle, with is- restoration.
sues such as baking shrinkage, number of bakes, color This hybrid technique offers some remarkable ad-
matching, and moisture control, the final pink esthetic vantages (Figs 45 to 91):
outcome may be compromised by an easily noticeable
interface between the prosthetic and natural gingiva. • Preservation of the optical and physical properties of
To overcome these limitations, a hybrid technique the porcelain by decreasing the number of ceramic
was developed to make the prosthetic gingiva bakes.

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 Minimally Invasive Reconstruction in Implant Therapy: The Prosthetic Gingival Restoration

Fig 51 First stage of the two-stage prosthetic gingiva tech-

nique. At the first insertion appointment, the patient’s soft tissue
is not in an ideal condition due to the procedures performed,
such as numbing and reshaping. This makes matching the
shape, color, and texture too difficult. The best solution is to in-
stall the restoration only with the ceramic part finished and then
add the pink composite resin at a second appointment after soft
tissue healing.

Figs 52 to 59 Second stage. Prepar-

ing the restoration for the direct pink
composite resin: (left to right) mechani-
cal retention, sandblasting, acid etch-
ing, vapor steam, silane, adhesive,
flowable composite, light curing.

52 53

54 55 56 57 58 59

Fig 60 The restoration in place, ready Fig 61 Schematic illustration showing the amount of pink ceramic that should be
for the direct composite buildup. placed and the space that should be left for the pink composite resin (yellow line).

• More predictability and greater control of pink es- • Possibility of repair, addition, recontouring, and un-
thetic factors such as shape, color, and texture. complicated maintenance, even after years of use,
without having to refire the ceramic.

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 COACHMAN ET AL

Fig 62 The pink composite resin kit Fig 63 The composite resin is added Fig 64 Overlaying the composite resin
with different colors and translucencies with a spatula, starting with a darker with a lighter color.
(Anaxgum, Anaxdent, Stuttgart, Ger- color as a background.
many).

Fig 65 The margins are blended with Fig 66 With a fine-tipped probe, the Fig 67 Light curing is performed after
a flat brush. grooves and the illusion of a gingival each layer is placed.
sulcus are created.

Figs 68 to 70 Light-curing stains can be used to customize the color.

Fig 71 A brush is used to create the Fig 72 The finished composite resin Fig 73 The restoration is unscrewed so
superficial texture. buildup. the pink composite resin can be fin-
ished chairside. Because of the inter-
proximal extensions, the path of inser-
tion should have two directions: first
horizontal and then vertical. To accom-
plish this, the implant should have an
external connection or a very short in-
ternal connection.

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 Minimally Invasive Reconstruction in Implant Therapy: The Prosthetic Gingival Restoration

74 75 76 77

Fig 74 The thin edge of the pink composite should be

trimmed, and the concavities underneath should be re-
moved to improve resistance and cleansability.
Fig 75 Ideal profile of the pink composite resin after the in-
traoral addition.

Fig 76 When the restoration is removed from the mouth, it

shows a thin extension on the edge of the pink composite
resin that must be removed.

Fig 77 Removing the edge with a diamond bur at a 45-de-

gree angle.

Fig 78 The edge is reduced but not removed completely.

The concavity underneath is eliminated by adding an extra
layer of composite resin that will create extra pressure on
the soft tissue and remove the edge. 78 79

Fig 79 The concavities and thin edges are eliminated.

80 81 82 83

Fig 80 The restoration is placed back in the mouth.

Fig 81 The goal at this stage is to blend the transition between the artificial and natural soft tissue. The removal of the pink
composite resin edge will create a visible and unattractive interface that must be modified.

Fig 82 The visible interface occurs mainly because of the difference in light reflection between the artificial and natural gin-
gival.

Fig 83 A round diamond bur is used to match the profile of the artificial and natural gingiva.

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 COACHMAN ET AL

Fig 84 The unnatural angle between the artificial

and natural gingiva is removed.

Fig 85 The light reflection has a similar direction

on the natural and artificial soft tissue, providing
the illusion of continuity. This mimetic effect will
improve even more with the addition of the
saliva.
84 85

Fig 86 The adhesive is applied to the

areas where composite resin will be ap-
plied, such as undercuts and concavi-
ties.

Fig 87 Adding pink composite resin to

the undercuts and concavities may
raise the complexity of the hygiene
procedures.

86 87

Figs 88 to 90 Final emer- Fig 91 During final polish-

gence profile after reshap- ing, care must be taken not
ing and adding composite to remove the gingiva-like
resin chairside. texture.

88 89 90 91

SEATING AND HYGIENE area should have the same intensity of pressure as ex-
ists with ideal interproximal contact between adjacent
During the seating process a transitory blenching may natural dentition. Excess pressure should be reduced
be observed. The intensity will vary depending on the by reshaping the soft tissue with diamond burs or a
extension of the tissue conditioning required, the de- diode laser, or by recontouring the prosthetic gingiva
sign of the pontics, and the gingival biotype. The with specific burs and wheels. The main goal is to cre-
pressure between the natural and prosthetic gingiva ate a comfortable, healthy, and cleansable interface
should be checked with dental floss. Flossing in this while maintaining high esthetics.

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 Minimally Invasive Reconstruction in Implant Therapy: The Prosthetic Gingival Restoration

Figs 92 and 93 It is paramount to pe-

riodically probe the bone level on the
adjacent teeth to check if the artificial
gingiva flaps overlapping these teeth
are compromising the surrounding tis-
sues.

92 93

Figs 94 to 101 Hygiene procedures.

The floss should go around the artificial
gingiva on both sides and completely
touch the interface between the natu-
ral and prosthetic gingiva.

94 95

96 97 98

99 100 101

The hygiene and maintenance procedures should thesis for further comparison during the follow-up ap-
be carefully discussed with the patient. Follow-up ap- pointments (Fig 92 and 93). During these sessions, the
pointments should be scheduled initially 3 months restoration should be removed to check the health of
after insertion and then can be moved up to every 6 the soft tissue and to probe the adjacent teeth. If the
months to 1 year, depending on the patient’s risk as- situation of the soft tissues is not ideal, new hygiene
sessment. education should be given, followed by reshaping of
Probing the bone level of the adjacent natural the prosthesis, if necessary, to allow ideal hygiene pro-
teeth is highly recommended before seating the pros- cedures (Figs 94 to 101).

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 COACHMAN ET AL

Fig 102 Final result.

Fig 103 Six-month postoperative view.

102

103

When properly planned and executed, the hybrid tive, and technical procedures can be executed to
prosthetic gingival restoration offers predictable func- maximize the biological, functional and esthetic results
tional and esthetic results (Figs 102 and 103). and surpass the patient’s expectations.

CONCLUSION REFERENCES
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 Minimally Invasive Reconstruction in Implant Therapy: The Prosthetic Gingival Restoration

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