The peri-implant mucosa consists of an externally located keratinized oral epithelium, which is connected to the peri-implant junctional epithelium facing the abutment. The latter extends approximately 2 mm apical to the...

The surgeon should be standing or be seated behind the supine patient. Bilateral truncular anesthesia is needed. The incision can be crestal or at a distance in the labial fold. Presence of keratinized tissue both labially and palatally should...

Incision can be made either on top of the crest or at some distance in the labial fold. The outcome for both approaches seems comparable. A sagittal release incision at the midline eases the reflection of the labial mucoperiosteum. It is logical to try to achieve...

Advantages of abutment-supported prostheses are 1) When implants are not parallel to each other, the use of angulated abutments can "correct" for the non-parallelism 2) Angulated abutments are available for a screw-retained prosthesis and 3) Custom abutments can be...

The aims of peri-implant soft tissue management in the edentulous mandible are the eventual reconstruction of attached gingiva or immobilizing the soft tissue at the implant-soft tissue interface. Vestibuloplasty means deepening of the...

This is the reversible inflammatory process in the soft tissues around functioning implants. Peri-implant mucositis occurs in almost 60% of subjects (± 30% of sites), restored with implants. Diagnosis is stated by clinical examination: redness, ...

At the beginning of the recall control it is necessary to define the intention of a radiograhical control and if it is needed. Radiological controls are only justified in the presence of certain symptoms, anamnesis and/or clinical examination...

Radiographical check-ups to evaluate bone levels cannot be repeated too often to avoid unnecessary radiation. Monitoring the overlying soft tissues may help to identify eventual problems of the underlying bone, although the correlation...

The gingiva is tightly connected to the underlying periosteum. It is globally keratinized and has a stippled surface. Its color varies from pink to brown or even black, depending on race and/or melanin deposits. It can be distinguished from alveolar mucosa, which...