Esthetic soft tissue ridge augmentation using an acellular dermal connective tissue allograft

Area of Science:

• Oral surgery
• Periodontology
• Dental implantology

Background:

• Residual ridge defects pose challenges for esthetic restoration in edentulous patients.
• Augmentation techniques are crucial for recreating natural ridge contours.

Observation:

• A technique utilizing an acellular dermal connective tissue allograft for buccolingual residual ridge defect augmentation is described.
• The allograft is placed into a buccal pouch via a single vertical incision.

Findings:

• This augmentation technique successfully restored the edentulous site.
• A three-unit bridge with an esthetic pontic was placed following augmentation.

Implications:

• This simplified method offers a less invasive approach to esthetic ridge augmentation.
• The technique reduces patient discomfort and improves functional and esthetic outcomes for dental restorations.