The Dual Function of a Dermal Allograft in Immediate Implant Therapy

Immediate implant placement often requires tissue augmentation simultaneously. Both hard and soft tissue grafting can improve long-term physiologic and esthetic outcomes. Bone replacement grafts are frequently combined with barrier membranes (guided bone regeneration [GBR]). When these materials are resorbable, they are often composed of collagen or synthetic polymers. These techniques do not address the need for soft tissue augmentation, and harvesting of autogenous soft tissue grafts is required. The use of a dermal allograft composed of natural, non-cross-linked collagen eliminates the need for the second surgical site to harvest autogenous soft tissue. This article demonstrates the dual functionality of a dermal allograft serving as both a GBR membrane and a biologically incorporated soft tissue biomaterial in immediate implant therapy.