An inverted partially epithelialized connective tissue graft around dental implants: A report of three cases.

In clinical practice, it is common to encounter dental implants with insufficient keratinized mucosa width (KMW) and decreased peri-implant mucosa thickness (MT). Research indicates that such soft-tissue deficiencies can lead to unsatisfactory esthetic results and decreased bone stability over time. This case report presents a variation of standard free gingival graft and connective tissue graft (CTG) techniques, termed the inverted partially epithelialized CTG (IPE-CTG). Three patients (2 males and 1 female) experiencing insufficient attached gingiva and reduced peri-implant tissue volume were effectively treated with the IPE-CTG. This approach involves placing a partially epithelialized graft as an onlay graft on the recipient site, with the epithelialized surface oriented apically and the de-epithelialized surface directed coronally. This technique aims to address KMW and MT deficiencies in a single procedure. All cases treated with the IPE-CTG exhibited stable results over a 12-month period, with notable improvements in both KMW and MT.