Soft tissue dehiscence coverage around endosseous implants: a prospective cohort study.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the healing outcome of soft tissue dehiscence coverage at implant sites.


METHODS
Ten patients with one mucosal recession defect at an implant site and a contralateral unrestored clinical crown without recession were recruited. The soft tissue recessions were surgically covered using a coronally advanced flap in combination with a free connective tissue graft. Healing was studied at 1, 3 and 6 months post-operatively.


RESULTS
Soft tissue dehiscences were covered with a coronal overcompensation of the flap margin up to 1.2 mm after the procedure. After 1 month, the coverage shrank to a mean of 75%, after 3 months to 70% and after 6 months to 66%.


CONCLUSIONS
The implant sites revealed a substantial, clinically significant improvement following coronal mucosal displacement in combination with connective tissue grafting, but in none of the sites, a could complete implant soft tissue dehiscence coverage be achieved.
Burkhardt
R
R
School of Dental Medicine, University of Berne, Berne, Switzerland. rino.burkhardt@bluewin.ch
Joss
A
A
Lang
N P
NP
D000328:Adult; D003238:Connective Tissue / Q000637:transplantation; D003758:Dental Implantation, Endosseous / Q000009:adverse effects*; D019250:Dental Implants, Single-Tooth / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D005881:Gingiva / Q000473:pathology / Q000637:transplantation; D005889:Gingival Recession / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery*; D005893:Gingivoplasty / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012044:Regression Analysis; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013524:Surgical Flaps; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014727:Vestibuloplasty / Q000379:methods