A Review of the Positive Influence of Crown Contours on Soft-Tissue Esthetics

Successful crown restorations duplicate the natural tooth in hue, chroma, value, maverick colors, and surface texture. Equally important is the visual harmony of the facial and proximal soft-tissue contours, which requires the collaborative skills of the restorative dentist, periodontist, and dental technician. The treatment team must understand the biologic structures adjacent to natural dentition and dental implants. This report describes the potential for specifically designed restorative contours to dictate the optimal gingival profile for tooth-supported and implant-supported crowns. Showing several cases, the article explains how esthetic soft-tissue contours enhance the definitive crown restoration, highlights the importance of clinical evaluation of adjacent biologic structures, and discusses keys to predicting when the proximal papilla has the potential to return to a favorable height and shape.