No abstract

This technique facilitates flap advancement by the tension-free nature of the design and enhances soft tissue maintenance during the course of regeneration. This approach, the separation of the periosteal layer and the mucosal layer, can be used as an alternative to overcome some of the limitations with conventional technique.

The coronal advancement of surgical flaps and subsequent shift of the mucogingival junction during bone augmentation procedures are common. These mucogingival alterations may become a challenge to manage in the maxillary anterior region among patients with a high lip line upon smiling or high esthetic demands. To further complicate matters, the presence of physiologic gingival pigmentation in the esthetic zone creates challenges of its own. In this case, a free gingival graft from the buccal gingiva of the maxillary molars was used to correct the mucogingival deformity created from a guided bone regeneration procedure.

The results of this study could help dentists identify the correct location of the greater palatine foramen with a supplemental landmark.