Three-Year Prospective Randomized Comparative Assessment of Anterior Maxillary Single Implants with Different...

Area of Science:

• Dental Implantology
• Biomaterials Science
• Periodontology

Background:

• Dental implant success relies on stable peri-implant tissues and bone levels.
• Abutment interface design is a critical factor influencing long-term implant outcomes.
• Understanding tissue response to different interface designs is essential for optimizing clinical results.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate time-dependent changes in peri-implant tissues for dental implants with varying abutment interface designs.
• To compare marginal bone level (MBL) changes and mucosal stability among conical, flat-to-flat, and platform-switched implant interfaces over a 3-year period.

Main Methods:

• A prospective study involving 111 participants receiving single maxillary anterior or first premolar implants.
• Implants with titanium abutments and provisional crowns were placed, followed by permanent crowns and patient-specific abutments.
• Clinical and radiographic assessments of peri-implant mucosa and MBL were conducted at 6, 12, and 36 months post-placement.

Main Results:

• At 3 years, conical interface (CI) implants showed no significant MBL change (-0.12 mm), while flat-to-flat (FI) and platform-switched (PS) implants exhibited MBL loss (-1.02 mm and -1.04 mm, respectively).
• Zero MBL change was observed in 72.1% of CI implants versus 3.0% of FI and 16.6% of PS implants.
• Peri-implant mucosal zenith positions remained stable (<0.5 mm recession) in 80% of CI, 61% of FI, and 84% of PS implants.

Conclusions:

• Conical implant interfaces demonstrated superior marginal bone level stability over 3 years compared to flat-to-flat and platform-switched designs.
• Peri-implant mucosal stability was generally good across all interface types, though MBL differences were significant.
• Further research is needed to elucidate the interplay between marginal bone response and peri-implant mucosal stability in different implant systems.