The prosthetic management of gingival aesthetics

Periodontal disease, trauma, and congenital defects can result in both soft tissue and hard tissue defects that can present with aesthetic problems. The management of these problems may be limited to prevention or surgical management which can result in significant morbidity especially if a second surgical site for grafting is utilised. This article describes the various prosthodontic techniques to improve gingival aesthetics using contemporary materials such as gingivally coloured composite and gingivally coloured porcelain in addition to more traditional materials such as standard prosthetic acrylic.