Purpose: To prospectively evaluate morphological changes in the horizontal and vertical dimensions of peri-implant tissue at 1-year post-prosthesis implantation.
Methods: Thirty-four patients who had received implants with conical connections in the aesthetic region were included in the follow-up study. Patients had received either traditional delayed implant placement or tissue augmentation with or without immediate implant placement. The horizontal and vertical dimensions of the buccal alveolar bone of the implant and its surrounding soft tissues were then evaluated using cone beam computed tomography.
Results: Implants placed alongside tissue augmentation, with or without immediate placement, were as successful as those placed into sites with traditional delayed implant placement. Statistically significant negative correlations were observed between initial horizontal bone thickness and changes in vertical bone height (r=0.585, p<0.05) and vertical soft tissue height (r=0.378, p<0.05), and between initial horizontal soft tissue thickness and the change in vertical soft tissue height (r=0.627, p<0.05).
Conclusions: Regardless of the bone and soft tissue augmentation approach, implants with conical connections may effectively preserve peri-implant tissues. However, the thickness of the peri-implant soft tissue is essential, because a change in soft tissue margin level tends to be affected by the thickness of the peri-implant soft tissue rather than the bone width.
Keywords: Clinical study; Cone beam CT; Connective tissue graft; Immediate placement; Implants.
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