Preservation of Bone and Soft Tissue Components of the Alveolar Ridge during Immediate Implantation in the Aesthetic Zone of Jaws with Bone Deficiency

The use of immediate implantation (directly into the extracted tooth socket) in the aesthetic zone is a rather difficult task due to the specific structural features of the bone tissue of the alveolar processes and parts of the jaw. The aim of the study was to develop and evaluate the efficacy of the new method of immediate implantation during restoration of teeth in the anterior part of the jaw with bone deficiency, which allows obtaining a high aesthetic result. Materials and Methods The clinical study involved patients with partially edentulous anterior maxillae, chronic apical periodontitis and dental root fractures in the absence of possibility to restore these teeth with orthopedic structures. To identify the main criteria determining smile aesthetics, the detailed analysis of changes in the bone and soft tissues of the alveolar processes was made based on tooth extraction causes and dates. These criteria included gum biotype, the height of the distal and mesial interdental papillae; the width of the keratinized attached gingival area, gingival zeniths, the alveolar ridge thickness. The condition of the facial alveolar bone wall in the planned intervention area was assessed and its thickness was measured using cone-beam CT scan of the jaw. These parameters were measured during traditional immediate implantation, immediate implantation with a free connective tissue graft, implantation performed using the method developed by the authors and during delayed implantation in the anterior part. In each patient, the obtained data were compared with the results in the respective teeth area on the opposite side before the surgery, 4, 6 months and 1 year after the surgery. Results Clinical and X-ray studies of the developed method of immediate implantation in the aesthetic zone of the jaw with bone deficiency in the facial alveolar bone wall have convincingly demonstrated its efficacy in the long term (1 year after the surgery). The proposed protocol has made it possible to reduce the length of rehabilitation time, and most importantly, to stabilize and preserve the alveolar ridge architecture. Conclusion The proposed method showed the promising outlook for dental implant-supported restoration in difficult anatomical conditions.