Abstract

Implantology plays an important role in oral rehabilitation, but sometimes requires supplementary procedures to restore both functional and aesthetic parameters. The presence of alveolar bone and keratinized soft tissue is crucial for achieving an aesthetically pleasing result when installing an implant. However, the early loss of a tooth affects the anatomy of the remaining periodontal tissues, making it challenging to achieve the clinical results desired by both the patient and the professional. The rehabilitation of the dental arch with osseointegrated implants enables the improvement of patients' quality of life, complemented by the advent of guided bone regeneration (GBR), which provides an excellent alternative for reestablishing bone tissue, thereby allowing the implant to be fully integrated and maintained during functional loading. The evolution in the development of biomaterials and techniques related to GBR has revolutionized this therapeutic modality, thus facilitating the clinical resolution of cases with tissue deficiencies. This report presents a clinical case description outlining the methods, techniques, and materials of choice for the placement of a single implant, utilizing GBR with bovine xenogeneic bone graft and connective tissue graft via a tunneling technique. The execution of the planned procedures resulted in a satisfactory outcome for the patient. It returned functionality and aesthetics, demonstrating that they are effective alternatives capable of success in cases of bone resorption in critical areas. Guided bone regeneration improved peri-implant tissue maintenance, increasing prognosis during a 10-year follow-up.