Soft Tissue Augmentation: What Are The Limits?
Soft tissue grafting techniques provide the dentist with an armamentarium that makes possible to prevent and solve many problems and complications around teeth and implants, making more predictable the treatments results. But, what are the limits ? Sometimes it is not so easy to take the right decision between bone or soft tissue grafting techniques We present many different techniques illustrated with clinical cases in order to explain our point of view.

Preservation of the Bundle Bone: Reality or Myth
The loss of teeth will lead to resorption of the buccal plate with its resultant need for extensive augmentative procedures (both bone and soft tissue) as well as the risk of poor long term aesthetic stability. Partial Extraction Therapies (PET) are techniques that allow us to maintain the buccal bone plate and hence prevent the collapse of the alveolar bone creating a platform for ideal soft tissue and bone which is stable in the long term. This is a greater problem in the aesthetic areas. This lecture will take you through the different options with regards to immediate implant placement as well as the most cutting edge PET in a step by step fashion.

"XP Treatment Planning Challenge - Phase I" - Parameters for Integration of Aesthetics and Function in Implant Dentistry
This Case report presentation will be in 2 Parts. Part 1 will feature the diagnostic cascade and ask you to consider different treatment approaches to the case. Please place your comments and treatment suggestions in the comment section. Part 2 next week will showcase the actual treatment performed.

The Next Challenge in Implant Dentistry: The Rise in Peri-implantitis and What Can We do About It?
In this presentation, Dr. H. Ryan Kazemi will discuss etiologies for implant failure due to peri-implantitis, its preventive measures, and what treatment modalities work best. He will also describe a new classification to help clinicians choose the optimal treatment approach.

"The Socket Shield Technique"; Myths & Realities
Socket Shield Technique is a concept in implant dentistry that utilizes the partial extraction therapy principles, with the goal of preserving the hard and soft tissues around the dental implants. It has been reported to be a very predictable therapy so far. The proper case selection is crucial for the success of the technique. In fact, it is very technique sensitive and requires an advanced level in implant dentistry. Although the technique has a high overall success rate, but long term studies and high evidence level researches are needed to support the proof of principle available. This presentation will discuss and review the "myths & realities" of the new Socket Shield Technique or "PET" (Partial Extraction Therapy) concept.

Zero Bone Loss Protocol: Influence of Vertical Soft Tissue Thickness on Crestal Bone Stability
Crestal bone stability is considered to be important for bone preservation, longevity of implants and to prevent peri-implant tissue recession. Implant placement level is important for bone stability. Mucosal tissue thickness was shown to be the factor having impact on bone stability. It was showed that platform switching does not reduce crestal bone loss, if soft tissues at the implant placement are thin. It is suggested that thin tissues might be thickened during implant placement, thus reducing bone resorbtion. The role of soft tissue thickness is well established in aesthetic treatment. It is known that thin soft tissues present an unfavorable situation for implant placement, crestal bone stability and subsequent prosthetic treatment.

Biologic Rationale of Esthetic Crown Lengthening Using Innovative Proportion Gauges
Using a series of innovative measuring gauges, the ideal clinical crown length of a tooth as well as the proper occlusogingival placement of the interproximal papilla will be determined based on established, documented tooth proportion relationships.

Buccal Sliding Palatal Pedicle Flap Technique for Wound Closure After Ridge Augmentation
One standard approach for wound closure after ridge augmentation is coronal flap advancement. Coronal flap advancement results in displacement of the mucogingival junction and reduction of the vestibulum. In the maxilla, a buccal sliding palatal flap can be applied for primary wound closure after ridge augmentation. The dissected part of the palatal connective tissue is left exposed, thus eliminating or reducing the amount of the coronal flap advancement respectively and increasing the amount of keratinized gingiva. In combination with guided soft tissue augmentation, this flap design enables a three-dimensional peri-implant soft tissue augmentation.

The Socket-Shield Technique to Support the Buccofacial Tissues at Immediate Implant Placement
Tooth loss and subsequent ridge collapse continue to burden restorative implant treatment. Careful management of the post-extraction tissues is needed to preserve the alveolar ridge. In-lieu of surgical augmentation to correct a ridge defect, the socket-shield technique offers a promising solution. As the root submergence technique retains the periodontal attachment and maintains the alveolar ridge for pontic site development, this case report demonstrates the hypothesis that retention of a prepared tooth root section as a socket-shield prevents the recession of tissues buccofacial to an immediately placed implant. The socket-shield technique is a highly promising addition to clinical implant dentistry and this case report is among the first to demonstrate the procedure in clinical practice with a 1-year follow up.