The aim of the current study was to evaluate whether a computer-planned submucosal position of the abutment shoulder would be in concord with its intraoral position after implant delivery and its functioning. The results demonstrated that there was a moderate correlation between the virtually planned and clinically measured position of the abutment shoulder. Clinical measurements were taken twice: first directly after the delivery of the abutment and temporary restoration (T1) and then prior to the cementation of the final crown (T2). A positive correlation was found to be moderate for implants in all positions at both clinical examinations. Moreover, a strong positive correlation was evident in all implants across the esthetic region (canines and incisors) at T1. At T2 an moderate positive correlation was found for all implants placed in the anterior esthetic regions (
R = 0.46). This result is particularly significant as it affects the esthetic outcome in the anterior maxilla. Microanatomy of the soft tissue around implants may progressively change and differ from the tissue surrounding normal teeth. Disparities in blood supply and cellular attachment could be additional influencing factors [
13,
14]. While osseointegration can be highly predicted, the response of the surrounding peri-implant mucosa is not clearly understood. Sources in the literature report mucosal recession in up to 16% of anterior single implants restorations. On the other hand, a spontaneous rebound of the receded soft tissue was recorded after a few years of functioning [
15‐
18]. The literature does not seem to provide an objective assessment of the true cause of soft tissue instability. In an exhaustive systematic review Jung et al. [
10] looked at the issue of peri-implant gingival recession both in terms of biological and esthetic outcomes. Interestingly, soft tissue complications, including dehiscences, occurred in 7.1% of cases after 5 years. In earlier studies the proportion was 9.7% after the same period [
11]. In our study we found a reduction in tissue height in 21.6% of cases, an increase in 36.3% and no change in 42.1%. This is consistent with earlier studies and may indicate that rather than a chosen prosthetic technology, anatomical properties of peri-implant tissue should be blamed for the problem of soft tissue instability. Irrespective of a vertical increase or reduction in soft tissue, the study indicates unpredictability of a virtually planned abutment margin position. Confirmed in 80% of cases, soft tissue stability or growth, is a very positive point in favour of using computer-designed-manufactured abutments. However, soft tissue deficiency in over 21% of all cases poses a serious problem so to avoid such risk we suggests that the shoulder of a CAD/CAM abutment should be set slightly deeper submucosally than CAD software recommends. Naturally, when interpreting the results, in spite of our efforts and calibration of the examiner, there was a possibility of error due to the imperfection of the measuring technique. Limitations may arise from the fact that despite calibration, clinical measurement may be subject to human error as well as from rounding the measurement results to 0.5 mm. Predictable soft tissue stability in the current study can be explained by the adequate quality and quantity of peri-implant tissue, which did not require any grafting. According to a literature review by Basetti et al. [
19], soft tissue condition should always be optimized prior to implant placement by all necessary grafting procedures, in order to achieve easier and more predictable treatment results. Soft tissue’s reaction to different surfaces of the abutment may explain its positive stability in the anterior zone (height reduction in 15.7% of cases). All abutments used in the anterior region were coated with titanium nitride at production (Atlantis™ Gold Hue), while those used in the premolar and molar region were made of pure titanium (Atlantis™ Titanium). Scarano et al. [
20] described biocompatible properties of titanium nitride and showed that there was a significant reduction of bacterial count which can lessen the risk of inflammation within the peri-implant tissue. This may in turn stabilize soft tissue. A titanium nitride coating reduces bacterial load, diminishes its metabolic activity, adhesion and proliferation while it maintains biological affinity of TPS titanium surfaces towards bone cell precursors and promotes human gingival fibroblast adhesion [
21‐
24]. Originally, the main reason for using titanium nitride coated abutments was esthetics, i. e. to minimize the grayish discoloration of marginal mucosa. But perhaps a more important purpose might be a greater soft tissue stability. Unfortunately, laboratory anodized abutments do not have such biocompatible characteristics as this technique creates pits, which intensify stress in the material and may progressively lead to micro-cracks in abutments and their failures [
25‐
27].
Taking the above into consideration it is obvious that it is solely a clinician’s task to evaluate all risk factors, be it biological, biomechanical or esthetic, in each individual case, while respecting the patient’s preferences. As far as the danger of cement induced peri-implant tissue inflammation is concerned, a screw-retained restoration seems to be a better prosthetic solution [
28,
29]. In some cases, however, due to technical limitations a cemented restoration seems to be preferable. In implants inserted in the posterior region, the abutment shoulder can be designed on a safe level for biological reasons. A problem arises in the front region, specifically when patients have high esthetic expectations. Their dissatisfaction may grow not only from development of gingival recessions, but also, as Benic and coworkers [
30] revealed, from peri-implant mucosal discoloration visible at speaking distance, observed in 60% of implants. Inherently imperfect, currently available soft tissue transfer techniques seriously limit predictability of shoulders subgingival position. In both the analogue impression and optical scan, soft tissue always collapses towards the axis of the implant through lack of support provided by healing abutment or temporary restoration. The only way to keep precise characteristics of the emergence profile would be to superimpose a scanned image of the subgingival portion of the temporary crown onto the scanned image of the dental arch with the implant. This would significantly reduce a discrepancy between a digitally planned and actual intraoral position of the shoulder, but the technique is not yet commercially available [
31‐
33].