Digitally Designed Ovate Pontic as a Predictable Procedure to Improve Accuracy, Hygiene, Esthetics

The implant-retained fixed partial denture, or bridge, is a highly efficient restorative modality. The primary challenge with this restoration, however, lies in achieving the optimal design of the pontic, which needs to be esthetic, comfortable, and easily cleansable by the patient, a factor that can directly enhance prosthesis longevity. An ovate design is desirable for the pontic area. The simplest, most efficient approach to producing an ovate pontic is to do so at the time of tooth extraction. However, usually the clinician is presented with a well-healed, rounded ridge that requires additional modification in order to create a proper ovate pontic. This article presents a simplified protocol for digital and surgical fabrication of a highly hygienic, esthetic implant bridge pontic. Using a digital design workflow, a provisional restoration is fabricated in the laboratory to ideal contours. This provisional is then utilized for a simple surgical procedure to create predictable hard- and soft-tissue contours for the pontic area. The protocol produces an extremely resilient tissue around the pontic, which also translates to an enhanced esthetic, hygienic, and functional design.