Treatment of Thin Tissue Biotype Around An Implant Using Subepithelial Connective Tissue Graft: A Case Report.

Implant dentistry has come a long way since 1965, with great improvements made to achieve primary implant stability and to improve bone-to-implant contact with the introduction of the concept of osteointegration. The focus has been shifted towards creating an esthetic restoration that is indistinguishable from natural teeth and is stable over time. Just as bone volume is crucial for ideal positioning of the implant, soft tissue volume predicts the ideal emergence profile and esthetics of the eventual implant restoration. The correct recognition of gingival biotypes is important for the treatment of planning process in restorative and implant dentistry. Patients with thin biotype are more prone to recession, inflammation, and compromised soft tissue response. This paper presents a case of management of the thin gingival biotype over the implant surface to a more favourable one using the subepithelial connective tissue graft to achieve a more stable and esthetic result.