Marginal masticatory mucosa dimensional changes in immediate post-extractive implants: a 2 year prospective cohort...

Area of Science:

• Dental Implantology
• Periodontology
• Oral Surgery

Background:

• Immediate post-extractive implants offer potential benefits in tooth replacement.
• Managing soft tissue dimensions around these implants is crucial for long-term success.
• Non-submerged healing protocols are an alternative to submerged healing.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess marginal masticatory mucosa dimensional changes around immediate post-extractive implants.
• To evaluate the stability of peri-implant soft tissues over a two-year period.
• To investigate the influence of transgingival placement with non-submerged healing screws on soft tissue dimensions.

Main Methods:

• A two-year prospective cohort study involving 21 immediate post-extractive implants.
• Peri-implant gaps were filled with bovine bone mineral.
• Measurements included bone margin level (BML), mucosal margin height (MMH), horizontal mucosal level (HML), and vertical mucosal level (VML) at various time points.

Main Results:

• One implant failure occurred within three weeks.
• A statistically significant vertical contraction of the mucosa (MMH) was observed at 4 months.
• Statistically significant shrinkage of the mucosa in the horizontal plane (HML) occurred between baseline and 12/24 months, and between 4 and 12/24 months.

Conclusions:

• Immediate post-extractive implants placed transgingivally with non-submerged healing screws and bone grafting may promote early and stable peri-implant soft tissue healing.
• Despite initial mucosal shrinkage, the overall soft tissue profile appears stable over two years.
• This approach could be a viable option for maintaining peri-implant soft tissue dimensions.