3D volumetric analysis at implant sites after soft tissue augmentation

Background. The role of soft tissues in the survival of dental implants remains one of the most discussed problem of the modern dentistry. Two main parameters such as the width of the keratinized gingiva and thickness of the peri-implant tissues are known to play an important role in the stability of the dental implants. Soft tissues thickness is necessary to achieve an aesthetic long-term stable result. Different methods for increasing soft tissue thickness are described in the literature. Materials and methods. Study included 30 patients with insufficient peri-implant soft tissue thickness. All patients underwent buccal soft tissue thickness augmentation by two different methods: collagen matrix (1 group) and free connective tissue graft (2 group). In the study we evaluated the amount of soft tissue thickness gain by using volumetric 3D- analysis. Results. The amount of soft tissue thickness before surgery was 1,63±0,7 mm in the 1 group, 1,61±0,7 mm in the 2 group. Three months after surgery the amount of soft tissue gain was 1,18±0,11 mm in the 1 group, 1,55 ±0,11 mm in the 2 group. Conclusion. The use of a free connective tissue graft as well as a collagen matrix is an effective method for increasing the thickness of soft tissues in the peri-implant area.