Coverage of Buccal Tissue Dehiscences on Endosseous Implants: Decision-Making Process and Case Report

Dehiscences on facial aspects of implants are an esthetic concern and, just as importantly, may make maintaining adequate home-care measures and implant health more difficult, especially when bordered by inadequate and mobile soft tissue margins.

This report describes a new approach, the laterally rotated flap, and a tunnel subepithelial connective tissue graft, used to correct soft tissue dehiscences and gain keratinized mucosa on endosseous implants. Soft tissues were maintained in a stable condition 3 years after treatment.

Although there are few controlled clinical studies that support any surgical technique for covering dehiscences on implants, some results show a tendency for improvement. The techniques presented in this case report provided promising results.