Shaping the gum around your implant ready for its final crown, at Highfield Dental Clinic, Edgbaston.
How the gum is shaped during healing determines how natural the final tooth looks where it meets the gum.
A healing abutment is a small component screwed into the top of an implant, passing through the gum. It holds the gum open in the right shape while the tissue heals, creating a channel through which the final crown will emerge.
A standard healing abutment is round. An anatomical healing abutment is shaped more like the cross-section of a natural tooth, which is wider and more oval, and is used where the emergence profile matters for appearance, typically on front teeth and premolars.
Progressing through implant treatment in Birmingham? Our experienced team will shape the gum ready for a natural-looking result.
Placement is quick and comfortable. The process usually involves:
Healing takes a few weeks, after which the abutment is replaced by the final restoration.
Natural teeth are not round in cross-section, so a round healing abutment creates a round channel that a natural-looking crown must then be squeezed through. An anatomical abutment produces a shape closer to a real tooth, which helps the final crown emerge convincingly from the gum.
This matters most in the smile line, where a visible dark triangle or an unnatural emergence is immediately noticeable. Keep the area clean during healing, as plaque around a healing abutment causes inflammation that affects the final tissue shape. Your clinician will show you exactly how to clean it.
It may be visible at the gum line, particularly at the back of the mouth. It is a temporary component and is replaced by the final crown.
Placement is quick and comfortable. If a small procedure is needed to expose the implant, the area is numbed first.
Usually a few weeks while the gum heals and settles into shape, before the restorative stage begins.
It is shaped like the cross-section of a natural tooth rather than being round, creating a more natural gum contour for the final crown.
Brush gently around it and use any cleaning aids we recommend. Keeping it clean protects the shape of the healing tissue.
Contact us promptly. A loose abutment can allow the gum to grow over the implant or affect healing, and it is quick to secure.
