Clinical and radiographic evaluation of single-tooth dental implants placed in grafted extraction sites: a one-year report

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this report was to clinically and radiographically evaluate changes to the hard and soft tissues around implants placed in extraction sockets grafted with medical grade calcium sulfate hemihydrate (MGCSH) mixed with platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and a collagen resorbable plug after one year of function.

METHODS: This evaluation was part of a previous study conducted to evaluate extraction socket grafts. Fourteen subjects out of 16 were evaluated. After tooth extraction, eight subjects received MGCSH mixed with PRP in the extraction sockets (test group), and six subjects received collagen resorbable plug dressing material (control group). After three months of bone healing, dental implants were placed. Three months after implant installation, provisional restorations were placed and implants were loaded in function for one month followed by definitive restorations. Follow-up examinations and intraoral digital radiographs were made at baseline and one year after definitive restorations to evaluate the marginal bone level in each subject.

RESULTS: At the one-year follow-up, the survival and success rate was 100% for all implants. There was no statistically significant difference in the amount of vertical bone loss between groups after 1 year (p > 0.05). For the test group, there was a mean mesial bone loss of -0.8 +/- 0.6mm and a mean distal bone loss of -0.5 +/- 0.4mm. For the control group, there was a mean mesial bone loss of -1.1 +/- 0.7mm and a mean distal bone loss of -0.6 +/- 0.6mm.

CONCLUSIONS: At the one-year follow-up, the implant placement in grafted sockets was not affected by the type of the graft material. Implants placed in sockets grafted with MGCSH mixed with PRP showed less marginal bone loss after one year in comparison to those with collagen resorbable grafts.