Soft Tissue Volume Augmentation Using Connective Tissue Grafts via Apical Pouch: Technical Considerations and Case Reports

The success of dental implant therapy in the esthetic zone requires not only functional osseointegration but also favorable esthetic results. The greatest challenge in the esthetic zone is to establish harmony, balance, and continuity of gingival form between implant restorations and the adjacent natural teeth. In the esthetic zone, a localized ridge defect or loss of a peri-implant papilla is common and can be corrected via soft tissue augmentation. This case report describes a novel surgical technique using connective tissue grafts via an apical pouch to increase soft tissue volume over an alveolar ridge defect or around natural teeth or implants in the maxillary anterior area. The described surgical technique successfully achieved the desirable esthetic outcomes in the reported cases.