Implant designs for the spectrum of esthetic and functional requirements

In recent years, attention has shifted from merely achieving successful osseointegration of dental implants to achieving proper esthetics that mimic natural dentition. Original implant designs were primarily developed for the treatment of fully edentulous patients where esthetics was not a major objective of the therapeutic outcome. During the initial years of the development of osseointegrated implants, greater emphasis was placed on achieving successful osseointegration. As the number of patients undergoing implant therapy, as well as the number of clinical indications for dental implants, is rapidly expanding, the therapeutic armamentarium also has to expand. The most important requirement for achieving predictable esthetic results is careful consideration of the biology of the interaction between the implant-prosthesis complex with the implant site. Only those implant-supported restorations that achieve harmony with the surrounding hard and soft tissues can be expected to have an optimal esthetic outcome will endure.