Peri-implant soft tissue health: Single-piece implants versus conventional bridges

Evidence directly comparing peri-implant soft tissue health around single-piece implants and natural abutment teeth in conventional fixed bridges remains limited. Therefore, it is of interest to evaluate peri-implant soft tissue parameters around single-piece implants versus abutment teeth supporting fixed partial dentures. Standardized clinical and radiographic protocols were used to measure gingival index, probing depth, bleeding on probing and marginal bone levels over 12 months. Single-piece implants demonstrated lower probing depths, reduced bleeding scores and less marginal bone loss compared with abutment teeth. Both groups maintained clinically acceptable tissue stability throughout follow-up. Thus, we show that single-piece implants achieve favourable peri-implant soft tissue health comparable or superior to conventional bridge abutments.