[Immediate post-extraction implant in infected site. An eight-year clinical and radiographic control]

The use of immediate post-extraction implants presents several advantages in term of reduction of surgical steps and time required to conclude the therapy. Particularly important is the possibility to minimize the bone loss that otherwise would occur in the physiologic healing of the alveolus. Many authors agree that an infected site is one of the main contraindications to use post-extraction implants. In spite of this, favourable results have been reported also in these conditions. In this study, an immediate post-extraction implant has been placed to substitute the maxillary left second premolar, extracted due to vertical root fracture. Suppuration with fistula in the vestibule was present. The residual wide bone defect at the end of the debridement of the surgical socket has made it necessary a regenerative procedure by means of e-PTFE membrane, at the same time of implant insertion. After 9 month-healing the membrane has been removed and the implant exposed to perform the prosthetic procedures. The clinical and radiographic control after 8 years prove that infection in the surgical site has not compromised the final success, even in the long-term observation, suggesting the need to re-evaluate the contraindications conventionally reported.