The Gingival Former Abutment (GFA) use for posterior mandibular single tooth rehabilitation with immmediately post extractive implant placement

Nowadays, dental implants are widely used and are considered to be one of several treatment options that can be used to replace missing teeth. The main causes of the tooth loss are fractures, periodontal diseases or even congenital absences. As far as the number of dental implants increases during every day clinical practice, the demand for a functional and long-term predictability are mandatory. The key of a successful result is the proper and minimally invasive management of the hard and soft tissues surrounding the neck of the abutment. In this case series report, the factors that can lead to a successful implant restoration in the posterior area of the lower jaw are presented and analyzed.

The GFA (Gingival Former Abutment) system (Fig. 1.1) is an ADVAN(Advan Implantology, Amaro, Udine, Italy) prosthetic dental implantsystem that allows a submerged implant to be transformed intoa transmucosal implant. The clinician performs a one-time abutmentprotocol that minimises peri-implant crestal resorption andimproves soft tissue stability at the implant-abutment interface.Once the gingival height has been determined on the basis of theavailable biological width and/or expected post-extraction boneresorption, the GFA component can be fitted without removing ituntil delivery of the definitive prosthetic component. The importanceof this procedure is to prevent the formation of deep epithelialattachment, to prevent consequent risk due to the formation of aperi-implant pocket that may be caused by repeated placementof prosthetic components, and to prevent potential bacterial colonisationof the mucosal canal. 

Lastly, but certainly by no meansless important, the tapered connection of the GFA system canprovide the patient with predictable prosthetic restoration with allthe advantages that such a connection can bring. In the followingcases, the outcomes are presented of the use of the Gingival FormerAbutment (GFA) immediately after implant placement and ofbone stabilisation at the neck of the implant and around the GFAabutment during the healing process and following loading of thefinal prosthesis.