Buccal-Lingual Bone Remodeling in Immediately Loaded Fresh Socket Implants: A Cone Beam Computed Tomography Study

Area of Science:

• Dental Implantology
• Oral Surgery
• Bone Regeneration

Background:

• Fresh socket implant placement and immediate loading are common procedures.
• Buccal bone thickness is a critical factor in implant success.
• Long-term bone remodeling following these procedures requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate buccal-lingual bone remodeling after fresh socket implant placement and immediate loading.
• To assess the influence of initial buccal bone thickness on bone remodeling.
• To analyze bone changes over a 3-year follow-up period using cone beam computed tomography (CBCT).

Main Methods:

• 96 implants were placed in fresh anterior maxillary sockets and immediately loaded.
• Sockets were categorized into two groups based on buccal bone thickness (>1 mm and ≤1 mm).
• CBCT scans were taken before extraction and 3 years post-implantation for dimensional analysis.

Main Results:

• Significant buccal-lingual crestal bone reduction was observed in all fresh sockets at 3 years.
• Statistically significant bone loss occurred between baseline and the 3-year follow-up in both groups (P < .05).
• No significant difference in bone reduction was found between groups with different initial buccal bone thicknesses.

Conclusions:

• Fresh socket immediate implant placement and loading lead to considerable crestal bone remodeling over 3 years.
• Initial buccal bone thickness did not significantly influence the extent of bone reduction.
• Implant axis orientation, particularly a vertical axis, may be associated with increased bone volume reduction.