Glossary

The dental papillae is an accumulation of mesenchyme that fills the cavity of each tooth and is necessary for the formation of both dental pulp and dentin, which is firmer than bone but not as hard as the outer layer of enamel on the teeth. A papilla-sparing incision is used in dental implantology to place a permanent implant when the surgeon needs to augment soft or hard tissue to complete the procedure and achieve the patient’s desired aesthetic and functional outcome. This type of incision facilitates the surgeon’s access to bone for dental implant placement, while also restoring impaired gingival and bone architecture. The primary benefit of the papilla-sparing incision technique is that it enables periodontal surgeons to perform procedures without inducting the recession of healthy papillae that are adjacent to the sites being treated. Because papilla is unable to regenerate, preserving it is of the utmost importance during a dental implant procedure.

A crestal incision is a type of incision made during the beginning of a dental implant procedure when creating the buccal flap. There are generally three types of crestal incisions: midcrestal incisions, mucobuccal fold incisions, and paracrestal incisions. A paracrestal incision is also referred to as craterization, and is different from other types of crestal incisions in its placement and technique. A midcrestal incision is done when there is plenty of lingual, buccal, and palatal tissue present, and made from the crest of one natural tooth to the crest of the other. In cases where not enough of this tissue is available, usually due to tooth loss in the center of an edentulous ridge, a periodontal surgeon may recommend that a paracrestal incision be made. This incision is made away from the crests of the natural teeth surrounding the area the implant will be made and can be done either lingually or buccally.