The orthodontic-periodontal connection in implant site development.

Abstract

Implant-supported restorations have become an established treatment modality, well accepted by patients and clinicians. Regaining function is now routinely expected, and the focus of patient demand has shifted to aesthetics. Aesthetic restoration of the partially edentulous anterior maxilla can be particularly challenging. The learning objective of this article is to present a comprehensive multidisciplinary treatment protocol, developed to establish a foundation for optimal aesthetics in implant therapy, with emphasis on the role of orthodontics in the enhancement of deficient components. Periodontal orthodontics is used to increase the vertical osseous dimension and preserve papillae; restorative orthodontics optimizes the site through manipulation of supragingival restorative space. Two clinical cases are utilized to illustrate the principles and implementation of this protocol.