Many patients who have changed their smiles by restoring their teeth are quick to notice a discrepancy in the tooth length/gingival margin on even a single tooth. In the absence of a soft tissue grafting procedure, they would have had to tolerate a longer looking tooth.

When we restored with PFM restorations, we could build pink porcelain onto the metal framework and create gingival harmony; however, I've recently been informed that this can be done on lithium disilicate restorations also.

My patient was thrilled that despite all the implants, grafting procedures and pink ceramic on her bridgework in the posterior quadrant, that she wouldn't have that "long" eye tooth by having an all-ceramic crown with pink at the margin.

This is an excellent option when treating a gingival recession case. A smile improves dramatically when we don't have to seat long restorations apically.

Mary Anne Salcetti, DDS, PC, Spear Education Visiting Faculty. [ www.maryannesalcettidds.com ]


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Commenter's Profile Image John Carson
April 2nd, 2013
Excellent point Mary Anne! I just had a patient in yesterday for whom we were doing a PMMA try-in for full arch implant supported FPD's, guess what he noticed-exactly what you are talking about, the funny part he has a low smile line and it never shows unless he lifts his lip up with his fingers but that's exactly what he did when he was evaluating the try-in, in his case he decided not to lift his lip rather than do pink porcelain or try additional grafting. John