The influence of different soft‐tissue grafting procedures at single implant placement on esthetics: A randomized controlled trial

1 Background

Soft‐tissue grafting to thicken the soft tissue around dental implants was proposed to ameliorate the esthetic outcome. Traditionally, connective tissue is used as a grafting material, but a xenogeneic collagen matrix was introduced as an alternative to reduce patient morbidity.

2 Methods

A total of 60 patients randomly received either no graft (n = 20, NG group), a connective tissue graft (n = 20, CTG group), or a xenogeneic collagen matrix (n = 20, XCM group) when an implant was placed in a preserved alveolar ridge. Changes in mid‐buccal mucosal level (MBML) at 1 (T₁) and 12 (T₁₂) months after final implant crown placement were compared to the pre‐extraction level. Additionally, esthetics, marginal bone level, clinical peri‐implant parameters, and patient satisfaction were assessed.

3 Results

At T₁₂, mean changes in MBML were –0.48 ± 1.5 mm, –0.04 ± 1.1 mm, and –0.17 ± 1.3 mm in the NG, CTG, and XCM groups (P = 0.56), respectively. Regarding the other outcome variables, no significant intergroup differences were observed.

4 Conclusions

Soft‐tissue grafting at single implant placement in preserved alveolar ridges does not result in a better esthetic outcome or in better peri‐implant health and should not be considered as a standard procedure.