Implant-supported prostheses esthetic outcomes after socket preservation technique.

Area of Science:

• Dental Implantology
• Periodontology
• Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery

Background:

• Tooth extraction often leads to significant bone and soft tissue remodeling.
• Socket preservation is a technique used to maintain alveolar ridge volume prior to dental implant placement.
• The Pink Esthetic Score (PES) evaluates the aesthetic outcomes of dental restorations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the Pink Esthetic Score (PES) of anterior teeth requiring replacement with the PES of subsequent implant-supported prostheses.
• To evaluate the efficacy of the socket preservation technique in maintaining aesthetic parameters around dental implants over a 1-year follow-up period.

Main Methods:

• Twenty-four patients underwent extraction of maxillary incisors, followed by socket preservation using Bio-Oss mixed with fibrin glue and a collagen sponge.
• Dental implants were placed after 6 months of healing, with a further 4-month healing period before loading.
• Peri-implant PES was recorded at 1 year post-loading.

Main Results:

• All implants achieved successful osseointegration with no patient dropouts.
• The mean PES before extraction was 12.25, and the mean peri-implant PES at 1 year was 12.35.
• No statistically significant difference was found between pre-extraction PES and 1-year post-loading PES.

Conclusions:

• Socket preservation combined with delayed implant placement effectively maintains alveolar volume and aesthetic values.
• The technique ensures comparable or improved aesthetic outcomes around dental implants compared to pre-extraction natural teeth.
• This approach is a reliable method for achieving favourable aesthetic results in anterior tooth replacement.