Maintenance of gingival profile in the esthetic zone using natural tooth pontic

Abstract

The extraction of periodontally compromised teeth in the anterior esthetic region is a challenging situation due to patients' psychological and esthetic demands. Irrespective of the replacement of missing teeth with the final prosthesis, the first line of management would be to provisionally restore the teeth at the earliest. Routine treatment options for replacement are time-consuming and expensive. Using the patient's natural tooth as a pontic offers the benefits of the same size, shape, color, and preservation of the gingival architecture. Using the patient's platelet concentrate (platelet-rich fibrin) facilitates early wound healing and preservation of the alveolar ridge shape following tooth extraction. With minimal or no preparation, the technique can be completed at the chairside, thereby avoiding laboratory costs. This case report details the procedure with a follow-up of a case where the natural extracted tooth of the patient was used as pontic to replace a missing anterior tooth.

Keywords

• esthetics
• gingival contour
• natural tooth pontic
• periodontitis
• platelet-rich fibrin
• resin-bonded bridges