Evaluation of peri-implant soft tissue thickness and its influence on marginal bone loss: A prospective clinical...

Peri-implant marginal bone loss remains a critical challenge because the quantitative influence of soft tissue thickness on bone stability is not fully established. Hence, this prospective cohort study evaluated 156 implants in 124 patients, categorizing sites into thin (<2 mm) and thick (≥2 mm) mucosal groups, with bone loss assessed radiographically over 24 months. Mean soft tissue thickness was 1.42 ± 0.38 mm in the thin group and 2.89 ± 0.56 mm in the thick group. At 24 months, marginal bone loss was significantly higher in the thin mucosa group (1.78 ± 0.62 mm) compared to the thick mucosa group (0.67 ± 0.34 mm) (p<0.001), with soft tissue thickness identified as an independent predictor. Thus, thin mucosa was associated with a 3.2-fold increased risk of pathological bone loss, indicating the importance of soft tissue assessment in implant treatment planning.