title: Effect of the use of a ready-made plastic stent on the peri-implant soft tissue.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study compared the effect of the use of a ready-made plastic stent on the width of peri-implant keratinized mucosa with that of conventional methods and examined the effects of a plastic stent on peri-implant soft tissue.
  
  
  METHODS
  Five young-adult beagle dogs were used. Forty titanium implants were placed in the mandibular alveolar ridge. Stage 2 surgery was performed 8 weeks after implant installation. Each dog received a full-thickness, apically positioned flap (fAPF) with a lingual crestal incision using a suture material in the control group (n = 20) and a ready-made plastic stent in the test group (n = 20). The keratinized mucosa width after stage 2 surgery was measured in each group. The pocket depth, length of connective-tissue contact and biological width were measured in the tissue samples. A student's t-test was used to test the differences between the groups (95% confidence level).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The width of the keratinized mucosa was significantly higher and the distance from the top of the implant platform to the mucogingival junction was significantly longer in the test group than the control group. Histometric observations revealed the pocket depth and biological width to be significantly lower in the test group than the control group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The use of a fAPF with a lingual crestal incision using a ready-made plastic stent can effectively preserve or enhance the width of the keratinized mucosa and might restore a more optimal biological environment at the early soft-tissue healing stage.
authors.affiliation: Department of Prosthodontics, School of Dentistry, Pusan National University, Yangsan, South Korea.
authors.forename: Jung-Bo
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Huh
authors.forename: Ki-Bin
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Jeomil
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Young-Chan
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Jeon
authors.forename: Jeong-Yeol
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Sang-Wan
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Shin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003238:Connective Tissue / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D015921:Dental Implants; D004285:Dogs; D015607:Stents
chemical_list: D015921:Dental Implants