Late stage soft tissue modification for anatomically correct implant-supported restorations

For the past decade, the dental profession has developed techniques for producing functionally equivalent implant supported restorations to replace complete dentures. Little thought was given to the development of proper emergence profiles to develop anatomic restorations that were contoured like natural teeth. This article presents a simple method of modifying soft tissues coronal to the implant head that will allow the development of a restoration with correct emergence profile and anatomic contour.