title: Immediate Restoration of Immediate Implants in the Esthetic Zone of the Maxilla Via the Copy-Abutment Technique: 5-Year Follow-Up of Pink Esthetic Scores.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Implant esthetics may benefit from individualized zirconia abutments copying the emergence profile of the natural tooth and delivered within days after immediate implant insertion.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the esthetic outcome of the Copy-Abutment technique using the Pink Esthetic Score (PES).
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 77 patients with single-tooth implants in the anterior maxilla restored at the day of immediate implant placement using Copy-Abutments and provisional crowns were followed-up after 1 week, 1 month, 4 months, 6 months, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 years to assess implant esthetics.
  
  
  RESULTS
  PES ranged between 7 and 14 (median: 13) and improved significantly between the 6 month and 1 year follow-up (p < .001), then remained stable up to the fifth year. Significant improvement was seen for the variables PES-6 soft tissue color (p = .002) and PES-7 soft tissue texture (p < .001) up to the 1 year follow-up, while PES-5 alveolar process deficiency deteriorated (p = .016). Mean mucosal recession was 0.26 ± 0.86 mm (range: 0-1.6) after 5 years and not related to gingival biotype.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Copy-Abutments for immediate restoration of implants in the esthetic zone show satisfactory long-term esthetic outcomes.
authors.affiliation: Chief Physician, Prosthodontist and Founding Partner, Academy for Oral Implantology, Lazarettgasse 19/DG, A-1090, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Rudolf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fürhauser
authors.affiliation: University Professor, Oral Surgeon and Founding Partner, Academy for Oral Implantology, Lazarettgasse 19/DG, A-1090, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Georg
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mailath-Pokorny
authors.affiliation: University Professor, Oral Surgeon and Founding Partner, Academy for Oral Implantology, Lazarettgasse 19/DG, A-1090, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Haas
authors.affiliation: Associate Professor, Oral Surgeon and Partner, Academy for Oral Implantology, Lazarettgasse 19/DG, A-1090, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Dieter
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Busenlechner
authors.affiliation: University Professor, Oral Surgeon and Founding Partner, Academy for Oral Implantology, Lazarettgasse 19/DG, A-1090, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Georg
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Watzek
authors.affiliation: Associate Professor, Oral Surgeon and Researcher, Academy for Oral Implantology, Lazarettgasse 19/DG, A-1090, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Bernhard
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2617-0353
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Pommer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D059605:Dental Implant-Abutment Design; D019250:Dental Implants, Single-Tooth; D017267:Dental Prosthesis Design; D004955:Esthetics, Dental; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D057893:Immediate Dental Implant Loading; D008297:Male; D008437:Maxilla / Q000601:surgery*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015040:Zirconium
chemical_list: D015040:Zirconium; C028541:zirconium oxide
keywords: CAD/CAM technology; abutments; fixed implant prosthesis; immediate function; immediate implants; implant-supported crown; long term study; single-tooth implants