Gubitkom zuba dolazi do resorptivnih promjena na alveolarnom grebenu i do stvaranja defekata tvrdog i mekog tkiva. Postizanje estetskog izgleda mosta i okolnog tkiva kod takvih pacijenata predstavlja veliki izazov kliničaru. Različiti oblici tijela mosta koji su danas u uporabi ne zadovoljavaju u potpunosti s higijenskog, funkcionalnog i estetskog aspekta. Ovoidnim oblikom tijela mosta nastoji se oblikovati meko tkivo ležišta kako bi se postigao dojam da međučlan „izlazi“ iz gingive čime se dobiva prirodni izgled. Kondicioniranje tkiva ovoidnim međučlanom može se vršiti neposredno nakon ekstrakcije zuba kao i kod ležišta koje je bezubo duže vrijeme. Ako su oblik grebena i debljina tkiva zadovoljavajući moguće je gingivektomijom pripremiti ležište. Kod pacijenata s većim defektom alveolarnog grebena potrebno je najprije augmentirati meko tkivo ležišta pa onda ovoidnim međučlanom mosta oblikovati izlazeći profil. Kao zlatni standard u mekotkivnoj augmentaciji danas se koristi SVT najčešće uzet s nepca. Ovisno o količini potrebnog tkiva SVT se može uzeti s prednjeg i stažnjeg nepca te s tubera maksile. Najčešće se uzima Edelovom „trap-door“ tehnikom s horizontalnom i dvije vertikalne incizije i Hurzeler-Wengovom „single incision“ tehnikom. Nadalje, može se i mukotomom uzeti SGT te ga deepitelizirati ekstraoralno. Ovisno o veličini defekta koriste se različite tehnike mekotkivne augmentacije. Danas se preferiraju „pouch“ i tunel tehnike dok tehnika presavijenog režnja i „onlay graft“ tehnika gube na značaju te se rjeđe koriste. Kod „pouch“ tehnika, kao što im samo ime kaže, SVT se postavlja u ispreparirani subepitelni tobolac nakon čega se pristupa kondicioniranju tkiva ovoidnim mostom Following the tooth loss the alveolar ridge resorbs so hard and soft tissue defects may occur. It is a great challenge to the clinician to achieve an aesthetic appearance of the pontic and the surrounding tissue in such patients. Different pontic designs used today, such as ridge lap and modified ridge lap, do not completely satisfy the hygienic, functional and aesthetic requirements. The ovate pontic design is used to condition the soft tissue so that a natural emergence profile could be obtained. The ovate pontic can be used immediately after the extraction or when the pontic site is toothless for a longer period of time. If the ridge is well maintained and the soft tissue thickness is sufficient the site can be surgically prepared to accommodate the ovate pontic. In patients with major ridge defects an augmentation should be considered prior to tissue conditioning with the ovate pontic. The connective tissue graft harvested from the palate is mostly used for this purpose and it is considered to be the golden standard in periodontal plastic surgery. The connective tissue graft can be harvested from the anterior and posterior palate or from the maxillary tuberosity. Commonly used harvesting techniques are Edel’s “trap-door” technique and Hurzeler-Wenge “single incision” technique. Furthermore, the CTG can also be obtained by de-epithelializing extra-orally a gingival graft harvested with a mucotome. Depending on the size of the defect various soft tissue augmentation techniques can be performed. Today, pouch and tunnel techniques are preferred and more commonly used than the onlay graft or roll flap techniques. In pouch and tunnel techniques tissue grafts are placed in a prepared subepithelial pouch and conditioned with an ovate pontic after the surgery.