Objective To explore the effect of computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) glass ceramic full crown on gingival health in patients with anterior tooth defect. Methods A total of 91 patients with anterior tooth defect who received aesthetic restoration of anterior teeth in the Department of Stomatology, Dongguang County People’s Hospital from January 2023 to January 2024 were selected as the research subjects. According to the random number table method, they were divided into the control group (n =45) and the observation group (n =46). The control group was restored with conventional heat-pressed cast glass ceramic full crown, and the observation group was restored with CAD/CAM glass ceramic full crown. The gingival health, restoration effect, satisfaction and complication rate were compared between the two groups. Results The gingival index of the observation group after treatment was lower than that of the control group (P <0.05). The scores of color matching and marginal adaptation in the observation group were higher than those in the control group (P <0.05). The satisfaction rate of the observation group (93.48%) was higher than that of the control group (77.78%) (P <0.05). The incidence of complications in the observation group (2.17%) was lower than that in the control group (26.67%) (P <0.05). Conclusion CAD/CAM glass ceramic full crown achieves favorable restoration effects for patients with anterior tooth defect. It can improve color matching and marginal adaptation of restorations, reduce the risk of complications, help to maintain gingival tissue health, and obtain high patient satisfaction.