Soft tissue characteristics and peri-implant health: is there a consensus?

One of the main aims of implant treatment is to obtain long-term peri-implant health with stable soft tissue dimensions, marginal bone stability, and absence of clinical signs of inflammation. In this regard, diverse soft tissue augmentation procedures have been performed around dental implants to create favorable biological, functional and esthetic outcomes. From a peri-implant health and biological standpoint, the available scientific evidence is controversial with respect to the role of soft tissue around dental implants. This lecture will discuss the scientific and clinical rationale to perform procedures in order to gain keratinized mucosa or increase mucosal thickness around implants and thus prevent and manage biological complications such as recession and peri-implant disease.

Learning objectives:

• Outline the current clinical evidence on the effect of keratinized mucosa on peri-implant health parameters
  
• Discuss soft tissue augmentation procedures and their influence on peri-implant health or disease as well as tissue stability
• Review the role of soft tissue characteristics in biofilm accumulation and the patient’s ability to perform oral hygiene