Periodontal-restorative collaboration: the basis for interdisciplinary success in partially edentulous patients.

Restorative dentists are the primary interface between dentistry and the general public. In this capacity, they are increasingly involved in both the placement of implants and the final esthetics of the definitive restorations. With patient demand steadily increasing for implants as single-tooth and multi-unit replacements-often in a compromised periodontium-effective collaborative decision-making between the periodontist and the restorative dentist is more critical now than ever. Inherent disparities between their skillsets--particularly from a surgical stand-point-inextricably link these practitioners as collaborators in preserving and rehabilitating periodontium and dentition alike. The cases described in this article provide insight into how such collaboration enables high-quality interdisciplinary outcomes when replacing teeth with implants in the esthetic zone.