Soft tissue substitute material
Significance of periodontal and peri-implant soft tissue
Gingival recessions as well as reductions of the mucosa around pontics, dental implants or the reduced width of the keratinized gingiva may have a significant impact not only on the patient’s smile, but also on the long-term prognosis of teeth and implants.
Valid alternative for the patient’s own tissue
The availability of connective tissue at the donor site is limited, particularly in patients with a thin gingival biotype or if multiple recessions should be treated. Connective tissue harvesting can be associated with an increase in surgery time and patient morbidity and higher risk for post-operative complications. Thus, xenogenic collagen-based materials, such as mucoderm®, are nowadays valid alternatives to autologous grafts to treat soft tissue defects either alone or in combination with a bone augmentation procedure.
