Augmentation of the width and thickness of keratinised gingiva using a collagen biomaterial in apically positioned flap surgery: a technical note

Abstract

To ensure that dental implants remain functional in the long-term, adequate thickness and width of keratinised tissue at the cervical collars are essential.1 Once a tooth is lost, the height of the alveolar bone is reduced, and the keratinised tissue of the edentulous area recedes.2 There are two techniques currently used to obtain the desired keratinised tissue augmentation: the apically positioned flap surgery and the free gingival graft surgery.2 The apically positioned flap surgery, the existing keratinised tissue is incised at the mucosal or mucoperiosteal flap to enable natural extension of the incised end.