Influence of Immediate Implant Placement and Provisionalization with or without Soft Tissue Augmentation on Hard and Soft Tissues in the Esthetic Zone: A One-Year Retrospective Study.

The purpose of this clinical research was to evaluate peri-implant marginal changes around immediate implants placed either with the application of SCTG or XCM or without soft tissue grafting. A total of 48 patients requiring a single implant-supported restoration in the anterior jaw were selected for inclusion. Three surgical procedures were performed, as follows: type 1 implant with subepithelial connective tissue graft (SCTG), type 1 implant with xenogenic collagen matrix (XCM), and type 1 implant without soft tissue augmentation (NG) (control group). The marginal change of peri-implant soft tissue, facial soft tissue thickness (FSTT), peri-implant health status, esthetics, and patient satisfaction were assessed at one year after surgery. All of the placed implants showed a survival rate of 100%. No significant differences in FSTT were recorded between the SCTG group and the XCM group after treatment ( P > 0.05), while the NG group presented a significant difference ( P < 0.05). Patients in the NG group lost significantly more in the buccal marginal level than did patients in the SCTG group and those in the XCM group ( P < 0.05). The favourable success rate recorded in all groups confirmed immediate tooth replacement as a choice of treatment for a missing anterior single tooth. The NG group presented significant changes of FSTT and buccal marginal level, while XCM constituted a viable alternative to SCTG.
Competing Interests: Paolo De Angelis declares that he has no conflict of interest. Paolo Francesco Manicone declares that he has no conflict of interest. Giulio Gasparini declares that he has no conflict of interest. Silvio De Angelis declares that he has no conflict of interest. Margherita Giorgia Liguori declares that she has no conflict of interest. Ilaria De Filippis declares that she has no conflict of interest. Antonio D'Addona declares that he has no conflict of interest.
(Copyright © 2021 Paolo De Angelis et al.)