The ideal treatment to address soft tissue defects is through the use of a graft. Using pink ceramic should be the clinician's last resort; however, if it is needed the goal is to simulate the appearance of healthy tissue. There are many challenges to achieving this goal, including:

  • Ceramic is not soft tissue. It has a smooth and shiny surface, while natural gingival tissue is stippled with a dull surface.
  • Hiding the transition from ceramic to soft tissue is difficult to achieve. If possible, I recommend keeping the apical extent of the pink ceramic out of the esthetic zone or view.
  • Shade communication is challenging.
  • There is a limited selection of colors for pink ceramic. There is a general tendency for the ceramic to be too orange or violet relative to the pink/red color of natural soft tissue.

Pink ceramic can be used on:

  • Single veneers/crowns
  • Implant abutments or crowns
  • Pontic areas for both tooth-supported or implant restorations

Areas that it can be used on:

  • Papillae deficiencies
  • Facial or buccal soft tissue deficiencies

Keys to long-term success:

  1. Design the restoration to be cleansable with surfaces that are smooth, and highly polished. Try to avoid noncleansable areas or overlapping of gingiva, especially adjacent to natural teeth or implants.
  2. To achieve the optimum esthetic result both clinically and technically, I strongly recommend photographing a pink ceramic shade tab next to the tissue to be matched, just as you would to match a natural tooth.

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