Use of Transalveolar Sutures in Conjunction With Grafting to Preserve Vestibular Depth and Augment Gingival Thickness Around Mandibular Implants

Preservation or reconstruction of the soft tissues around dental implants is an essential component of implant dentistry. Increased width and thickness of the keratinized tissue surrounding dental implants has been recognized as an important factor associated with long-term implant success. When extractions and ridge reduction are performed concurrently with implant placement, maintaining vestibular depth also is of utmost importance. A previous report described a technique for applying bone-anchoring sutures to preserve keratinized tissue and vestibular depth around implants. The present report describes a variation of the procedure for the simultaneous correction of situations in which the existing keratinized tissue is thin and narrow and preserving and apically positioning it might not provide an appropriate gingival cuff.