A Pink-Porcelain Bridge After a Failed Root Canal and Abscess
Rebuilding two lost upper front teeth - and the gum line that went with them - without relying on unpredictable grafting
By Dr. Kiyan Mehdizadeh, DMD · 9460 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 850, Beverly Hills, CA 90212 · (310) 770-3335
Last Updated: July 2026
Lost a front tooth to infection?
When an infection takes a front tooth, it often takes bone and gum with it - and that lost tissue is what makes replacing the tooth hard to do naturally. Implants aren't always possible once the bone is gone. There are still ways to rebuild a smile that looks whole. If you're facing an extraction or living with a gap from an old one, send us a photo and we'll walk you through your options.
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Treatment Plan by Dr. Kiyan Mehdizadeh
- Surgical and cosmetic smile design
- Fabrication of temporary teeth
- Extraction of two upper front teeth
- Bone grafting and healing assessment
- Whitening to set the base shade
- Gum lift (gingival recontouring)
- Four-unit zirconia bridge with pink (gingival-shade) porcelain
- Six porcelain veneers to harmonize the smile
The Patient's Journey
This patient came to us after two failed root canals on his upper front teeth led to an abscess - a pocket of infection - above them. The infection was severe enough that the two teeth could not be saved and had to be removed. He wanted his smile back, but he also wanted to keep further surgery to a minimum.
When infection takes a front tooth, it usually takes bone and gum with it. Replacing the tooth is the easy part; replacing what was lost around it is the real challenge.
Understanding the Challenge
The textbook replacement for missing teeth is dental implants. But an implant needs a healthy volume of bone to anchor into, and this site didn't have it: the infection and extractions had left a significant defect in the upper jaw. We assessed the ridge and grafting options, and the bone situation would not reliably sustain implants in this position. Forcing implants here would have meant extensive, less predictable grafting - and even then, the missing gum architecture would have shown.
Initial Findings
Two non-restorable upper front teeth following failed endodontic treatment and abscess; a hard- and soft-tissue defect after extraction; insufficient bone to predictably support implants; loss of the natural gum line in a highly visible area.
The Treatment Sequence
We designed the smile first - surgically and cosmetically - and made temporary teeth so he was never without a smile during treatment. After the extractions and healing, the plan shifted to the most predictable path to a natural result: a four-unit fixed bridge rather than implants.
The bridge was made in zirconia, layered with porcelain for a lifelike surface. To rebuild the gum line the infection had destroyed, the laboratory added pink porcelain - a gingival-shade ceramic matched to the color, translucency, and texture of natural gum tissue. This is what keeps the replacement teeth from looking unnaturally long or leaving dark triangles where the gum used to be. Whitening set the base shade and a gum lift refined the surrounding tissue for symmetry, and six porcelain veneers harmonized the rest of the smile in shape and color.
The Result
A bright, uniform smile where the gum loss is no longer the center of attention - restored over about eighteen months of staged, deliberate work. Function and appearance were both rebuilt without depending on grafting that the site couldn't reliably support.
Frequently Asked Questions About Pink Porcelain Bridges
What is pink porcelain?
A gingival-shade ceramic layered onto a restoration to recreate the look of natural gum tissue in color and form. It is used when gum and bone loss would otherwise leave teeth looking too long or leave dark gaps at the gum line.
Why a bridge instead of implants here?
After the infection and extractions, this site didn't have enough bone to predictably support implants. A bridge replaced the teeth dependably without relying on extensive, less predictable grafting.
What is a four-unit bridge?
A fixed restoration spanning four connected units, anchored on supporting teeth, that replaces the missing teeth as a single, cemented piece.
Why did the front teeth need to be removed?
Two prior root canals had failed and led to an abscess. The infection was severe enough that the teeth were no longer restorable and had to be extracted to protect his health.
Can a bridge replace lost gum tissue?
The bridge itself replaces the teeth; pink porcelain added to it recreates the appearance of the gum tissue that was lost, so the smile looks whole.
How long does treatment like this take?
This case took roughly eighteen months, because infected sites need time to heal and the reconstruction was staged carefully rather than rushed.
Will it look natural?
That is the purpose of the layered porcelain and the pink gingival ceramic - to match both the teeth and the gum line so the bridge blends into the smile.
How do I care for a bridge like this?
Daily cleaning under the bridge with a floss threader or water flosser, plus regular checkups to keep the supporting teeth and gums healthy.
What does treatment like this cost?
It depends on the specific plan, which we review at consultation. We accept PPO insurance and offer financing through Proceed Finance, PatientFi, Happen Bank, CareCredit, and Cherry.
Last Updated: July 2026
Dr. Kiyan Mehdizadeh, DMD
Doctor of Dental Medicine
Most cosmetic dentists refer out for surgery. Most surgeons don't do cosmetic work. Dr. Mehdizadeh trained in both — implantology and bone grafting at Loma Linda and UCLA, fixed prosthodontics under Mauro Fradeani in Italy, periodontal microsurgery with Hürzeler and Zuhr in Munich, and IV sedation at the University of Alabama. That combination means complex cases involving surgery, grafting, implants, and restorative work are planned and executed by a single provider with full command of every phase.
Technical skill produces function. Taste is what produces beauty. The difference between dental work that looks like dental work and a result that looks entirely natural comes down to aesthetic judgment — proportion, texture, translucency, how light moves across a surface. That sensibility runs through everything here, from the way cases are designed to the office itself.
An in-house master ceramist and on-site laboratory allow restorations to be designed, fabricated, and refined with direct collaboration between doctor and technician — no outsourced lab work, no guesswork, no compromise on the final product. Dr. Mehdizadeh is one of few dentists with the refined ability to provide care across multiple specialties, resulting in cohesive and holistic outcomes.
Education & Credentials
- Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD), cum laude — Boston University
- Bachelor of Science in Biology — Emory University
- Mastership in Implant Dentistry & Grafting — Loma Linda University / gIDE Institute
- Advanced Implant Therapy & Grafting — UCLA / gIDE Institute
- Implant Placement & Restoration — UCLA / Nobel Biocare
- Guided Bone Regeneration & Ridge Augmentation — gIDE Institute
- Sinus Elevation & Augmentation — gIDE Institute
- Soft Tissue Management & Grafting — gIDE Institute
- Minimally Invasive Augmentation & Autogenous Bone Management — IDEA, San Francisco
- Master Program in Fixed Prosthodontics — Fradeani Education, Italy
- Aesthetic Dentistry — UCLA School of Dentistry
- Advanced Occlusion & Bite Design — UCLA
- Periodontal Micro-Surgery — Hürzeler/Zuhr, Munich
- Micro-Endodontic Training — University of Pennsylvania
- IV Sedation — University of Alabama at Birmingham
- Injectable Therapy for TMJ & Facial Pain — American Academy of Facial Esthetics
Considering similar treatment?
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