Purpose: This study aimed to provide the latest updates on the therapeutic effectiveness of keratinized mucosa (KM) augmentation using autogenous soft tissue grafts for dental implants retaining prostheses.
Study selection: A systematic search of electronic databases was conducted on autogenous soft tissue grafts to create and/or augment KM for functioning dental implants. Two investigators independently extracted data from the selected 11 clinical studies, including 290 participants, from the initially retrieved 573 publications.
Results: A lack of KM surrounding dental implants was associated with greater mucosal inflammation. A free gingival graft (FGG) was used to increase the KM width, and a connective tissue graft (CTG) was used to manage peri-implant mucosal recession (MR). The weighted mean gain in KM was 2.6 mm from the selected FGG studies, with a significant reduction in mucosal inflammation and no changes in crestal bone levels for up to 4 years. The weighted mean reduction in MR was 2 mm in selected CTG studies.
Conclusions: A lack of KM negatively affects soft tissue health around dental implants. FGG was effective in increasing KM and reducing mucosal inflammation, whereas CTG was effective in decreasing MR.
Keywords: Connective tissue graft; Dental implants; Free gingival graft; Keratinized mucosa; Mucosal recession.