Objective: To investigate the 3-year implant-related outcomes following alveolar ridge preservation in periodontally compromised molar sockets.
Material and methods: Thirty implants were placed in 26 patients following either ridge preservation (test, n = 16) or natural healing (control, n = 14) at deficient molar extraction sites after a 6-month healing period. The need for additional augmentation procedures at implant placement was recorded. Patients were assessed for 3 years following a definitive restoration. Patient information being collected included modified plaque index, the modified sulcus bleeding index, the peri-implant probing depth clinically, and alterations of marginal bone level (MBL) radiographically.
Results: There was a 100% survival rate of implants in both groups after 3-year follow-up. During implant placement operation, 35.7% in the control group and 6.3% in the test group required additional augmentation procedures. No statistically significant differences were determined for peri-implant parameters and marginal bone levels between the two groups. The overall mean difference of MBL was 0.072 mm (95% CI [-0.279, 0.423]) during the 3 years of follow-up. The success rate was 81.2% in the test and 78.6% in the control group.
Conclusions: Implants placed into periodontally compromised molar-extracted sites after ridge augmentation resulted in comparable outcomes to implant placement at naturally healed sites after 3-year functional loading. (Chinese Clinical Trial Registry ChiCTR-ONN-16009433).
Keywords: dental implants; implant survival; marginal bone loss; socket augmentation.
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