Gum health is the ‘unsung hero’ of implant dentistry, playing an equally important role as bone integration in treatment success.
This is according to a new study that looked into soft tissue management during second-stage implant procedures.
The team – from the West China Hospital of Sichuan University – assessed mainstream surgical techniques, detailing their indications, benefits and drawbacks.
Adapting implant techniques
Conclusions included:
- Free gingival graft (FGG) remains the gold standard, reliably increasing keratinised mucosa (KM) width and thickness, but at the cost of significant donor site trauma and aesthetic mismatches
- Apically repositioned flaps (ARF) offers a less invasive alternative with good color integration but depends heavily on existing tissue
- Simplified free gingival graft (SFGG), involving thin strips of grafted tissue, reduces donor morbidity and improves aesthetics when combined with collagen matrices – though it is more technique-sensitive.
As a result of the findings, the researchers proposed a practical clinical tool for tailoring surgeries to individual needs, helping ensure both biological health and cosmetic satisfaction.
‘Soft tissue is the unsung hero of implant dentistry,’ said Professor Quan Yuan and Dr Shiwen Zhang, lead authors of the consensus.
‘For years, we focused mainly on bone integration, but healthy gum tissue is equally essential for long-term implant success. This report offers a unified guide based on evidence and clinical wisdom, helping clinicians make informed, patient-centred decisions.
‘With clearer strategies, we can now deliver not just function but also comfort and beauty.’
Longevity of dental implants
This comes as other research shows that dental implants used to replace single teeth function well even after several decades.
Carried out by a team at the University of Gothenburg, the study is based on a follow-up of a small group of patients who received single implants to replace missing teeth between 1982 and 1985.
‘It is impressive that the single implants function so well after such a long time,’ said Sargon Barkarmo, prosthodontist and senior lecturer at the university.
‘Even though the study included a small number of patients, the results show that the implants remain in place and that the bone loss around them is virtually unchanged after 40 years.’
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