Human histologic assessment of a platform-switched osseointegrated dental implant

This case report examined crestal bone level maintenance surrounding a platform-switched implant that was retrieved due to prosthetic difficulty. The retrieved platform-switched implant threads demonstrated tight contact with the surrounding bone and demonstrated both radiographic and histologic features that were indicative of successful osseointegration. Very high bone-to-implant contact (BIC) without epithelial downgrowth to the implant thread was noted. The BIC consisted of a combination of newly formed bone and native bone. The buccal and lingual bone levels coincided with the original platform position noted at the time of the surgery, and did not appear to resorb at all. The result of the present investigation confirms the maintenance of the crestal bone level for platform-switched implants.