Rudolf Fürhauser: The Pink Esthetic Score in monitoring peri-implant soft tissue stability in single tooth implants according different treatment protocols.

Pink Esthetic Score assesses 7 soft tissue variables, it allows for reproducible assessments of peri-implant soft tissue around single tooth implants (Gehrke 2009). Different treatment modalities can be compared, flapless procedures show better outcomes than flapped procedures (Boardman et al. 2015). Implant position is a crucial factor in achieving a good esthetic outcome (Fürhauser et al. 2015). Esthetic outcome of immediate implants appears to be similar to delayed implants (Esposito et al. 2015).

The Pink Esthetic Score, consisting of seven soft tissue variables has become a standard in scientific literature. Peri-implant soft tissue condition is dependent on different treatment protocols e.g. flap vs. flapless procedures. The outcome of these protocols will be discussed in light of current literature and typical cases using The Pink Esthetic Score evaluation.

Dr. Fürhauser, received his MD degree in 1983 from the University of Vienna and his DMD degree in 1989 from the Dental School of Vienna. He was Assistant Professor at the Department of Prosthodontics in the Vienna Dental School from 1990 until 2004. He has also worked in private practice since 1990. In 2004 he founded the Academy for Oral Implantology in Vienna together with Dr. Dieter Busenlechner, Prof. Dr. Robert Haas, Prof. Dr. Georg Mailath-Pokorny and Prof. Dr. Georg Watzek. Dr. Fürhauser serves as the academy's medical director. He has contributed several articles in the field of implant prosthodontics and esthetics and is a frequent lecturer on topics related to fixed prosthodontics.