Crestal ridge width changes when placing implants at the time of tooth extraction with and without soft tissue augmentation after a healing period of 6 months: report of 24 consecutive cases.

The esthetic outcome of an implant-supported restoration is first of all dependent on the soft tissue volume. Since the labial bone plate resorbs in every direction after tooth extraction, even when an implant is placed immediately, most patients end up with compromised esthetics. Twenty-four patients were treated consecutively with implants placed in the maxillary anterior area at the time of tooth extraction using two different treatment modalities. The first 12 patients were treated without raising a flap, whereas a subepithelial connective tissue graft was placed using the tunnel technique in the labial area of the subsequent 12 patients at the time of tooth extraction and implant placement. The dimension of the labial volume was measured before treatment and 6 months after implant placement. The results show an average loss of volume in the nongrafted group of 1.063 mm, whereas in the grafted group, there was a slight gain of 0.34 mm. These results demonstrate the effectiveness of placing a soft tissue graft at the time of immediate implant placement in the esthetic zone.