Hard- and Soft-Tissue Reconstruction in the Anterior Maxilla for Esthetic Implant Therapy

Implant rehabilitation in the esthetic zone is often challenged by vertical bone defects and soft-tissue deformities. This article describes a combined hard- and soft-tissue restorative approach that involves staged guided bone regeneration, implant placement, and two soft-tissue augmentation procedures to achieve optimal esthetic outcomes at multiple implant sites in the anterior zone. The staged bone augmentation procedure, performed with a mixture of autogenous and xenogeneic bone graft and a nonresorbable membrane, allowed for the placement of three implants in ideal positions after 9 months. Further soft-tissue augmentation involved the use of multiple connective tissue grafts (CTGs) stabilized on the occlusal aspect of the implants and between the implants to enhance peri-implant papillae (ie, the "iceberg" CTG approach). Then, a second soft-tissue grafting procedure was executed to reposition the mucogingival junction and re-establish an adequate amount of keratinized mucosa at the implant sites. The article highlights the importance of performing both hard- and soft-tissue augmentation for implant therapy in the esthetic zone.