Soft tissue correction of a single-tooth pontic space: A comparative quantitative volume assessment

Statement of problem. Various augmentation procedures are recommended for t he correction of localized alveolar ridge defects. However, no study has qu antitatively evaluated the results of these procedures to date. Purpose. This study compared 2 soft tissue augmentation surgeries commonly used to alter contours of single-tooth pontic space by quantifying 3-dimens ional volume changes with the optical projection Moire method at 1 and 3.5 months after surgery. Material and methods. Twenty-four patients required surgery. Each patient h ad a localized alveolar ridge defect, corresponding to a mesial-distal widt h of 1 single tooth. The defect of 12 patients was corrected with a subepit helial connective tissue graft; the remaining 12 patients were treated by r eceiving a free full-thickness gingival graft,which included epithelium and connective tissue with fatty tissue. Six unoperated defects of 6 patients formed the control group. For each defect, an impression was made before tr eatment, at 1 and 3.5 months after surgery to measure the volume changes on thc dental casts with,1 validated projection Moire system. Volume change w as assessed relative to the preoperative dimension at the buccal and cresta l aspects of the single-tooth pontic space. Results. At 3.5 months postsurgery; mean volumetric gain for the connective tissue group with 159 mm(3) (SD +/- 80) was significantly greater (P=.027) than fur free full-thickness gingival graft group with 104 mm(3) (SD +/- 3 1). Conclusion. The applied projection Moire method proved its applicability in assessing 3-dimensional volume changes of pontic spaces with 3 single-toot h width. Volumetric assessment after 1 and 3.5 months revealed significantl y greater volume gain with the subepithelial connective tissue graft in com parison to the free full-thickness gingival graft.