Implant positioning from the prosthetic perspective: the issues with buccally inclined implants in the esthetic area
Proper implant positioning is a prerequisite for a naturally looking implant-supported restoration which blends in the patient’s dentition. Ideally, implant positioning should be planned carefully through the collection of specific data: a CBCT, an intraoral scan of the dental arches, and a tooth setup to define clinically the proper 3-D position of the planned prostheses.
When the volume of the hard and soft tissues are not ideal and/or the position of the implant is not prosthetically driven, the prosthodontist is likely to face difficulties in obtaining a satisfactory outcome from an esthetic and/or functional point of view.
In this conference, the presenter will focus on situations of implants placed with a pronounced buccal inclination, that is, with an axis which projects the prosthetic screw access hole on the buccal surface or on a cusp tip of the tooth. He will illustrate the consequences and challenges for the prosthodontist restoring that implant and suggest a number of solutions which can be employed to fabricate an esthetically satisfactory restoration with the proper dimensions and profiles to facilitate plaque control and promote hard and soft tissue stability.
- Understand the importance and implications of proper 3-D implant position;
- Learn the indications for cement-retained and for screw-retained implant-supported restorations;
- Observe a range of prosthetic solutions and their relative limitations.
Dr. Gracis received his D.M.D. degree in 1986 from the University of Pennsylvania, (Philadelphia, USA). After his American title was recognized in Italy at the University of Pavia, he went to the University of Washington in Seattle where, in 1990, he obtained the certificate in Prosthodontics and the Master of Science in Dentistry. Presently, he maintains a private practice limited to prosthodontics and restorative dentistry in Milan. He is a Past President of the European Academy of Esthetic Dentistry (EAED) and of the Italian Academy of Prosthetic Dentistry (AIOP). He has contributed several articles and chapters in the field of restorative dentistry and he lectures regularly, both nationally and internationally. Dr. Gracis also has served on multiple editorial boards including the International Journal of Prosthodontics and the European Journal of Esthetic Dentistry.
