Immediate implant placement in molar sites has the potential to improve patient treatment experience by reducing overall treatment time and the number of appointments. However, primary closure remains a technical challenge.
Aim: The objective of this case series was to assess the final clinical outcome at the 2-year follow-up of immediate implant therapy in molar sites using a digitally fabricated sealing socket abutment (SSA) at the time of extraction.
Materials and methods: This case series included 29 patients who received immediate implant placement in molar sites. A digital impression was taken at the time of placement, and a chairside CAD/CAM healing abutment was fabricated and delivered in situ to close the alveolar socket. Clinical assessments were reported with a minimum of 2 years of follow-up.
Results: All patients reported uneventful postoperative recovery after 1 week of healing. No implant failures were observed. The assessment by an experienced clinician showed healthy and stable periimplant tissue.
Conclusion: Based on the results of this study, the combination of an immediate implant placement protocol and a customized SSA seems to be a viable treatment alternative, although this needs to be confirmed by future prospective randomized studies.
Keywords: digital impression; digital workflow; emergence profile; immediate implant placement; soft tissue healing; CAD/CAM healing abutment.