Postsurgical timing of restorative therapy: a review

Knowledge of wound healing is necessary for the clinician when determining the time of prosthodontic treatment after periodontal surgery. Wound healing and longitudinal clinical studies indicate that the clinician should wait approximately 8 weeks before proceeding with the final restoration. Restorative procedures could be considered as early as 6 weeks if (1) the patient shows good systemic health; (2) injury is not inflicted on the gingiva by the restorative technique; (3) restorative margins are supragingival; and (4) esthetics are not critical. With a thick periodontium, more common in posterior areas, the gingiva often will move coronally as the tissue matures. Thin periodontal tissues may recede postsurgically, and in areas of esthetic concern, postponement of final restoration for up to 5 to 6 months may be desirable to assure gingival margin stability. Modifiers that may affect time and quality of healing, such as the patient's smoking frequency and age, should be considered when scheduling restorative treatment after periodontal surgery.