Urgent Crown Revision for Failing Upper Right Lateral Implant Crown: A Wedding-Ready Smile Transformation
Meet our patient who was preparing for her wedding and needed rapid, expert attention to a failing upper right lateral implant crown. Placed a decade ago at a local clinic, the implant position was suboptimal, resulting in a crown that looked and felt too short. With her wedding approaching and other options exhausted, she turned to our team for a timely, fixed solution.
Case Overview:
- Initial issue: Failing upper right lateral implant crown with suboptimal emergence and aesthetics
- Timeline pressure: Wedding in a few months requiring a rapid, aesthetic fix
- Key finding: Cone-beam CT revealed the implant was placed too high, making a simple crown replacement impractical
- Plan: Explant the existing implant, place a new implant at a suitable position in the future (6-8 weeks after removal), and provide a provisional adhesive bridge to restore aesthetics
- Immediate measures: Use Platelet-Rich Fibrin (PRF) to enhance socket healing; cement a provisional adhesive bridge; add composite bonding to adjacent incisors to address minor chips
What We Did
- Digital planning and imaging: Comprehensive assessment with CBCT and intraoral photographs to determine the best interim solution
- Explant and provisional solution: On the day of implant removal, the socket was packed with PRF to promote healing, and a provisional adhesive bridge was cemented to complete the smile temporarily
- Aesthetic touch-ups: Composite bonding applied to the central incisors to repair a chipped edge and even incisal contours
- Wedding-ready outcome: A natural, harmonious smile suitable for wedding photos while planning a more definitive implant restoration later
Why This Approach Was Chosen
- Speed and aesthetics: Provisional adhesive bridge provides an immediate, fixed cosmetic result without waiting for a new implant
- Healing optimisation: PRF supports soft-tissue and bone healing in the extraction site
- Future planning: A staged approach allows for a correctly positioned implant and comprehensive gum management (see below for long-term plans)
Treatment Gallery
Before Treatment
After Treatment
Before Treatment
After Treatment
What’s Next: Long-Term Plans
- New implant placement: A correctly positioned implant will be planned after the wedding for a durable, natural-looking replacement
- Gum contouring: Periodontal gum grafting to address recession and improve the smile line
- Gingival augmentation: A BioLase laser-assisted procedure to lengthen and contour gum tissue beneath the upper right first premolar for cosmetic balance
Is This Treatment Right for You?
If you’re unhappy with crown aesthetics, have uneven gums, or deal with a failing implant, our team can provide expert evaluation and tailored treatment plans. We combine advanced imaging, multidisciplinary care, and adhesive-provisional solutions to achieve both immediate and long-term results.
