A dentist, father, old car enthusiast, education advocate, photographer and some more. My cases shown on Dental Soul can be used in your study club or classroom discussions only if they are shown as web pages from Dental Soul.
Here is a young woman planned to have a fixed partial denture (FPD) from#9 to #11, with tooth #10 missing. The ridge under the pontic, #10 area, looks deficient horizontally (or buccolingually). The patient had a temporary FPD in place and desired to have an augmentation procedure under the pontic area.
Some subepithelial connective tissue (CT) was harvested from the patient’s left palate in the premolar area. The deficient ridge area was prepared with a pouch. The subepithelial CT was prepared and inserted into the pouch. An anchoring suture was done to pull and keep the graft in place. The pouch was closed at the ridge crest. The temporary FPD was re-cemented.
At the PO check, the grafted area appears to be healing well. I expect to see some loss of volume when the soft tissues mature in the surgery area. The palate healed without any complications as well.
Note the anchoring suture
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Nice case.
Are soft tissue augmentation cases predictable?
I think so. As with bone grafting, it is easier and more predictable with horizontal deficiencies.
Either horizontal or vertical, I suppose soft tissue grafting is easier.
Yes, I expect to see some shrinkage of the tissue after maturing.
When can you place a permanent FPD?
I would say 3 months to allow the connective tissue to mature enough.
I think 3 months is a good bet.
Hey, what do you know?
This page just came up on the first page of a Google search for “soft tissue ridge augmentation.”