Soft tissue dehiscence coverage around endosseous implants: a prospective cohort study

Aim: To evaluate the healing outcome of soft tissue dehiscence coverage at implant sites. Material and methods: Ten patients with one mucosal recession defect at an implant site and a contralateral unrestored clinical crown without recession were recruited. The soft tissue recessions were surgically covered using a coronally advanced flap in combination with a free connective tissue graft. Healing was studied at 1, 3 and 6 months post-operatively. Results: Soft tissue dehiscences were covered with a coronal overcompensation of the flap margin up to 1.2 mm after the procedure. After 1 month, the coverage shrank to a mean of 75%, after 3 months to 70% and after 6 months to 66%. Conclusions: The implant sites revealed a substantial, clinically significant improvement following coronal mucosal displacement in combination with connective tissue grafting, but in none of the sites, a could complete implant soft tissue dehiscence coverage be achieved.