The efficacy of flapless implant surgery on soft-tissue profile comparing immediate loading implants to delayed loading implants: A comparative clinical study

• Main Authors: Ravindran Deepak, Sudhakar Uma, Ramakrishnan T, Ambalavanan N
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2010-01-01
• Series: Journal of Indian Society of Periodontology
• Subjects: Delayed loading implants; esthetics; flapless implant surgery; immediate loading implants
• Online Access: http://www.jisponline.com/article.asp?issn=0972-124X;year=2010;volume=14;issue=4;spage=245;epage=251;aulast=Ravindran
• ISSN: 0972-124X; 0975-1580

<b>Aims and Objectives</b> : To assess the efficacy of flapless implant surgery on soft-tissue profile and to compare the clinical outcomes of flapless implant therapy on immediate loading (IL) implants to delayed loading (DL) implants. <b>Materials and Methods</b> : The study sample consisted of 20 patients who were partially edentulous in the anterior maxillary region. They were divided into two groups. In group I (IL) 10 implants were placed and immediately provisionalized and restored with a metal ceramic crown on the 14th day. In group II (DL) 10 implants were placed and loaded after 4 months. Single-piece implants were used for the IL group and two-piece implants were used for the DL group. All soft tissue parameters i.e., modified plaque index (<i>mPI</i>), modified bleeding index (<i>mBI</i>), papillary index (<i>PPI</i>), marginal level of soft tissue (<i>ML</i>) and width of keratinized mucosa (<i>WKM</i>) were recorded at baseline, Day 60, Day 120 and Day 180. <b>Results:</b> The success rate in group I was found to be 80&#x0025;, which was lower than the success rate in group II which was found to be 90&#x0025;. On comparison, there is no statistically significant difference in success rate between the two study groups. There was no statistically significant difference between the groups over time in parameters like <i>mPI</i>, <i>mBI</i>, <i>ML</i> and <i>WKM</i>. The mean <i>PPI</i> score in group II showed a significant increase from when compared to group I. <b>Conclusion:</b> The results of this study indicated that flapless implant surgery using either immediately loading implants or DL implants, demonstrate enhancement of implant esthetics.