Site development for anterior single implant esthetics: the dentulous site.

An inevitable loss of soft and hard tissue after tooth extraction often results in a compromised site for anterior implant esthetics. Various augmentation techniques have been advocated as corrective procedures, but these techniques are time-consuming and not always predictable. Therefore, the fundamental concept of site development for anterior single implant esthetics in the event of a failing tooth is to preserve the existing gingival and osseous tissue. This article identifies factors that affect tissue changes and describes an integration of surgical and prosthodontic approaches that can optimize the tissue maintenance in the anterior esthetic zone.