Aesthetic evolution of anterior maxillary crowns: a literature review.

The aesthetics of anterior maxillary restorations and health of the surrounding tissues are primary determinants of the successful outcome of a clinical procedure. Various restorative materials and application techniques have been developed to achieve optimal aesthetics. While early porcelain-fused-to-metal restorations exhibited metal margins, the development of shoulder porcelain margins in the 1980s resulted in a significant aesthetic improvement. Only in the 1990s, however, did all-porcelain restorations finally achieve the strength and complete range of optical characteristics exhibited by the natural dentition.