Purpose: To evaluate the hard and soft tissue alterations of immediate implant placement and provisionalization with customized definitive abutments in the esthetic zone.
Materials and Methods: Single unsalvageable maxillary anterior teeth were replaced with immediate implant placement and provisionalization with definitive abutments in 22 participants. Digital impressions and CBCT images were obtained presurgery, immediately after surgery, and 6 months after surgery. Horizontal and vertical buccal bone changes in thickness and height (HBBT, VBBH), vertical changes for the gingiva margin, mesial and distal papilla height, and horizontal changes for soft tissue (HCST) were analyzed using a 3D superimposition method.
Results: Twenty-two participants completed the study. No implant failed, and there were no mechanical or biologic complications for any patients. At 6 months after surgery, the mean HBBT changes at 0, 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 10, 11.5, and 13 mm were –0.92 ± 0.73, –0.83 ± 0.53, –0.82 ± 0.49, –0.70 ± 0.64, –0.65 ± 0.47, –0.50 ± 0.51, –0.15 ± 0.45, –0.10 ± 0.57, and –0.00 ± 0.64 mm, respectively. The mean VBBH change was –0.61 ± 0.76 mm. The mean HCSTs at –3, –2, –1, 0, 1, 2, and 3 mm sub- and supra-implant shoulder were –0.65 ± 0.54, –0.70 ± 0.56, –0.65 ± 0.51, –0.61 ± 0.56, –0.47 ± 0.54, –0.47 ± 0.59, and –0.46 ± 0.59 mm, respectively. The mean gingiva margin recession was –0.38 ± 0.67 mm. The mean mesial papilla height recession was –0.03 ± 0.50 mm. The mean distal papilla height recession was –0.12 ± 0.56 mm.
Conclusion: The definitive abutment used with immediate implant placement and provisionalization could potentially maintain the buccal bone thickness and height. For the facial soft tissue, it also benefited the maintenance of the midfacial gingival margin position and papilla height during the 6-month follow-up.