Implant positioning when replacing the four maxillary incisors: a platform-switched treatment option

Patients do not view dental implants as an object of desire but seek a way to replace teeth that will be as cost-effective and minimally traumatic as possible. Nowadays, anterior fixed partial dentures can provide an esthetic result that is difficult to distinguish from the natural dentition. Consequently, any implant-supported prosthesis will be compared to the esthetic and functional standards set by conventional tooth-supported restorations. The restoration of the four maxillary incisors by means of an implant-supported prosthesis is one of the most challenging situations in implant dentistry. The questions of how many implants should be placed and where they should be positioned are especially important for achieving a superior end result. This article proposes and describes the placement of two platform-switched implants in the central incisor positions as a means of achieving the correct biomechanical behavior of the prosthesis, along with the best possible esthetic results.