Socket shield technique: An unconventional method for immediate implant placement - A review

Area of Science:

• Dental Implantology
• Oral Surgery

Background:

• Immediate implant placement is a common dental procedure.
• The socket shield technique (SST) is an alternative to conventional methods.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review and compare treatment outcomes of SST versus conventional techniques for immediate implant placement.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature search of PubMed, Google Scholar, and Cochrane databases.
• Inclusion of human studies on SST and immediate implant placement; exclusion of in vitro studies, case reports, and reviews.
• Final review of 18 articles, including RCTs, retrospective, and prospective studies.

Main Results:

• Implant survival rates were comparable between SST and conventional techniques.
• SST demonstrated superior outcomes in bone preservation, esthetic results, and patient satisfaction.

Conclusions:

• SST shows promise for improved bone preservation, esthetics, and patient satisfaction in immediate implant placement.
• Further randomized clinical trials are needed to establish strong evidence for SST's long-term efficacy.