The relationship of the guided gingival frame to the provisional crown for a single-implant restoration

This article discusses and defines the use of the provisional crown to encourage gingival growth to provide an ideal frame for a single-tooth implant prosthesis. Both the rationale and the technique are presented. The successful use of an osseointegrated implant to support a fixed prosthesis is an accepted treatment modality in both the biologic and clinical dental communities. The clinical examination, the radiographic survey, and diagnostic casts all contribute to achieving an optimal esthetic result, but the final image may continue to be elusive until the healing of the second-stage surgery when the gingiva can be evaluated. The gold standard of success is providing an inconspicuous result.