Achieving an esthetic appearance with a fixed prosthesis by submucosal grafts.

A review of a new plastic surgical procedure using autogenous grafts of dense connective tissue placed submucosally in anterior areas of collapsed, deformed edentulous ridges has been presented. This technique allows augmentation of an anterior, deformed edentulous ridge to a proper form, color, and texture before placement of a fixed prosthesis. Previous solutions to this problem have resulted in an esthetic compromise at best. Long-term follow-up shows good dimensional stability offering an acceptable solution to a difficult prosthetic problem.