Overview:

This course explores the importance of soft tissue around dental implants and its role in aesthetic, functional, and long-term health outcomes. As implant dentistry evolves, peri-implant mucosa is increasingly recognised as critical, even more than bone in certain situations. Participants will gain an understanding of peri-implant mucosa, including its importance and long-term biological behaviour. The course also covers how to achieve adequate keratinized tissue thickness to provide a biological seal against implant disease and maintain stable mucosal margins. In addition, various procedures will be introduced to maintain or improve peri-implant mucosa across five critical soft tissue management timings. The course places a strong emphasis on split thickness flaps and the use of autologous tissue grafts.

Day 1 – Friday 4th December 2026

• The biology of mucointegration.
• What is the ideal peri-implant mucosa characteristics.
• The different soft tissue grafts we can use around dental implants
• The 5 timings for soft tissue augmentation for dental implant therapy.
• Pre-implant therapy surgical preparation.
• Soft tissue surgical strategies concurrent with dental implants and at second stage surgery.

Day 2 – Saturday 5th December 2026

• Hands-surgical training on animal models.
  • Split thickness flaps
  • Apical positioned flaps / Kazajian vestibuloplasty
  • Buccal roll flaps
  • Poncho technique
  • Palacci flaps
  • Split finger flaps
  • CTG pedicle flaps
  • Aesthetic tunnel approach
  • Tuberosity and Iceberg techniques
  • Modified Tinti / Peninsula flaps
• Post prosthetic soft tissue complication management.
• Case reviews

Learning Outcomes

Participants will be able to:

• Identify the different time points for soft tissue augmentation to improve dental implant outcomes.
• Develop surgical skills to manage soft tissue prior to implant placement, at the time of placement, and during surgical uncovering.
• Develop natural emergence profiles around implants and understand the importance of critical and subcritical restorative contour (EBC).
• Apply advanced surgical techniques for implants in the aesthetic zone.
• Participants will also gain extensive hands-on clinical training on implant models and pig jaws