Immediate Implants in the Aesthetic Zone: Is Socket Shield Technique a Predictable Treatment Option? A Narrative Review

Flap versus Flapless Immediate Implants with Bone Augmentation: A Novel Study

Background

This study aimed to equate implants placed using a traditional flap elevation technique with implants placed using a flapless process regarding bone healing and success in clinical conditions.

Materials and Methods

Sixty subjects were included in this research work. The participants were randomly divided into two groups. Patients in group A underwent implant placement with the flap elevation technique. Similarly, group B patients underwent implant placement without flap reflection. Parameters such as plaque index, wound healing index, crestal bone loss, and radiograph were considered to estimate the effectiveness of the two techniques.

Results

Plaque indexes were improved in both groups. The modified gingival index also improved in all the phases of healing. The flapless method showed a better crestal bone.

Conclusion

It can be concluded that this study showed that with the right augmentation techniques, implants could be successfully performed immediate extraction sockets, both with and without elevation of the mucoperiosteal flap.

Bone dimensional changes after flapless immediate implant placement with and without bone grafting: Randomized clinical trial

INTRODUCTION

Immediate implant in postextraction sockets requires managing the postextraction alveolar resorption. This randomized clinical trial examined vertical and horizontal changes 1-year following flapless immediate implant with and without xenograft at sites with thin labial plate.

METHODS

Forty patients with hopeless teeth in maxillary esthetic zone were randomly assigned to receiving either one immediate implant without bone graft (control) or with bone graft (intervention). Cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) scans were obtained pre-extraction and 1-year postoperatively to measure thickness and dimensional changes of the labial bone.

RESULTS

Cone beam computed tomography measurements revealed that a xenograft, when compared to no xenograft, led to 0.2 mm increased fill of the horizontal gap (95% confidence interval (CI): -1.1, 0.7). In both groups, there was a significant reduction in the labio-palatal bone width after 1 year compared to baseline (P ≤ 0.05). There was no significant difference (P > 0.05) between the xenograft when compared to no xenograft regarding the labio-palatal bone collapse % at 0 mm (-0.2, 95% CI: -4.8, 4.5) and 2 mm apical to the labial crest (1.9, 95% CI: -1.8, 5.6). While at 5 mm the ridge was significantly reduced (P ≤ 0.05) in the no xenograft when compared to xenograft (4.5, 95% CI: 0.7, 8.2). The xenograft when compared to no xenograft, led to 1.1 mm less vertical bone changes (95% CI: 0.4, 1.9). Both groups revealed significant positive correlation between labio-palatal socket dimension and bone formed labial to the implant (P ≤ 0.05). [Correction added on 7 February 2023, after first online publication: In the 8th line of this section, the word "collapse" was changed to "ridge" in this version.] CONCLUSION: This investigation suggested that immediate implants with or without grafting the labial gap preserved alveolar bone dimension and that bone formation labial to the implant was related to initial labio-palatal socket dimension.

Bone Dimensional Change Following Immediate Implant Placement in Posterior Teeth with CBCT: A 6-Month Prospective Clinical Study

This prospective clinical study aimed to evaluate the peri-implant hard tissue dimensional change at 6 months of immediate implant placement with bone graft materials in the posterior area using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT). Twelve dental implants were placed concurrently following tooth extraction in the posterior area and filled with xenograft particles. The CBCT images were taken immediately after surgical procedures and then at 6 months follow-up. To evaluate the hard tissue changes, the vertical and horizontal bone thickness were analyzed and measured using ImageJ software. Paired t-test or Wilcoxon match-pair signed-rank test was done to analyze the changes of hard tissue values at the same level between immediately and 6 months following immediate implant placement. Independent t-test or Mann-Whitney U test was used to analyze the dimensional change in the vertical and horizontal direction in buccal and lingual aspects. The level of significance was set at p value = 0.05. All implants were successfully osseointegrated. At 6 months follow-up, the vertical bone change at the buccal aspect was -0.69 mm and at the lingual aspect -0.39 mm. For horizontal bone thickness, the bone dimensional changes at 0, 1, 5, and 9 mm levels from the implant platform were -0.62 mm, -0.70 mm, -0.24 mm, and -0.22 mm, respectively. A significant bone reduction was observed in all measurement levels during the 6 months after implant placement (p value < 0.05). It was noted that even with bone grafting, a decrease in bone thickness was seen following the immediate implant placement. Therefore, this technique can be an alternative method to place the implant in the posterior area.