Gingival ovate pontic and methods of using the same

1. A pontic device for preserving soft tissue in a tooth-extraction site after a tooth has been extracted, comprising:

a dome-shaped structure comprising a solid wall that has a generally anatomical shape, the dome-shaped structure for fitting within and preserving the soft tissue surrounding the tooth-extraction site, the dome-shaped structure being made of a unitary piece of material comprising acrylic, bisacrylic, or a combination thereof, the solid wall defining a closed apical end of the dome-shaped structure for fitting within the soft tissue, the solid wall further defining an opened coronal end of the dome-shaped structure, the opened coronal end having a curved perimeter including opposing distal and mesial peaks that are separated by opposing lingual and buccal valleys, the solid wall having an inner surface defining an internal space within the dome-shaped structure; and

a protrusion located within the internal space of the dome-shaped structure, the protrusion extending from the closed apical end and beyond the curved perimeter of the opened coronal end, wherein the protrusion partially defines a generally annular region between the protrusion and an inner surface of the solid wall.

2. The pontic device of claim 1 , wherein the curved perimeter is wider than the closed apical end such that the solid wall tapers outwardly away from the closed apical end.

3. The pontic device of claim 1 , wherein the protrusion is for receiving a tooth-shaped pontic portion that is adapted to be coupled to the pontic device.

4. The pontic device of claim 3 , wherein the protrusion has a generally rectangular cross-sectional shape.

5. The pontic device of claim 3 , wherein the generally annular region receives material that is formed into the tooth-shaped pontic portion that is adapted to be coupled to the pontic device.

6. The pontic device of claim 5 , in combination with the material that is formed into the tooth-shaped pontic portion.

7. The pontic device of claim 1 , wherein the pontic device is tooth-specific such that the pontic device generally anatomically mimics a cervical subgingival portion of a root cervix of the tooth that has been extracted.

8. The pontic device of claim 1 , wherein the perimeter is asymmetrically scalloped to define the distal and mesial peaks and the lingual and buccal valleys.

9. The pontic device of claim 1 , wherein the perimeter is configured to contact gingival tissue of the tooth-extraction site without spaces or gaps between the pontic device and the gingival tissue surrounding the tooth-extraction site to form a biologic seal.

10. The pontic device of claim 1 , wherein the closed apical end is configured to inhibit hard tissue-grafting material placed in the tooth-extraction site from exiting the tooth-extraction site.

11. A method of forming a dental restoration, comprising:

extracting a tooth from a tooth-extraction site, the tooth-extraction site having gingival tissue surrounding the tooth, the extracting resulting in an extraction socket having soft and hard tissue positioned therein;

selecting a gingival pontic device having a solid wall forming a curved apical end that is closed and uninterrupted, the closed apical end substantially conforming to a shape of the extraction socket following the extraction, the solid wall further defining an opened coronal end having a perimeter substantially conforming to the gingival tissue surrounding the tooth-extraction site immediately following the extraction, the solid wall having an inner surface defining an internal space within the gingival pontic device, and the gingival pontic device further including a protrusion located within the internal space and extending beyond the perimeter of the opened coronal end; and

by use of the protrusion, fitting the gingival pontic device into the extraction socket such that the closed apical end of the gingival pontic device removably rests in the tooth extraction site, the gingival pontic device assisting in substantially maintaining the shape of the soft tissue within the extraction socket during healing.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising applying a hard tissue-grafting material into the extraction socket, the closed apical end of the gingival pontic device inhibiting the hard tissue-grafting material from exiting the extraction socket.

13. The method of claim 11 , further comprising, after healing of the soft and hard tissue with the gingival pontic device, applying a pontic to the tooth-extraction site, one end of the pontic having a shape that generally corresponds with the shape of the closed apical end of the gingival pontic device.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the gingival pontic device is selected based at least in part on the type of tooth that was extracted.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein the closed apical end generally anatomically mimics a cervical portion of the root cervix of the extracted tooth.

16. The method of claim 11 , wherein the perimeter includes opposing distal and mesial peaks that are separated by opposing lingual and buccal valleys.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the perimeter is wider than the closed apical end such that the solid wall tapers outwardly away from the closed apical end.

18. The method of claim 11 , further including, receiving material around the protrusion and within the inner space for forming a tooth-shaped pontic end that is coupled to the gingival pontic device and extends beyond the opened coronal portion.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the material for forming a tooth-shaped pontic end is acrylic or bisacrylic.