Hard Tissue Grafting and Basic Soft Tissue Management in Dental Implant Therapy

When it comes to replacing missing teeth, patients desire a predictable, long-lasting, esthetic solution. Dental implants have become the standard of care for meeting these needs, but successful implant therapy requires a solid foundation. When teeth are lost due to disease, infection or trauma, bone quality is often compromised. This course will focus on proper planning and execution of predictable bone grafting techniques to restore a patient’s smile and function with dental implants. Principles of soft tissue management around implants, including flap design, suture techniques, use of membranes and papillae maintenance, will also be presented.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

• Understand the parameters of true implant success

• Review the effects of tooth extraction on bone loss and what socket grafting can do for patients

• A “turn-key” review of various biomaterials for grafting situations

• Discuss atraumatic extraction techniques