Influence of periodontal tissue thickness on buccal plate remodelling on immediate implants with xenograft

Aim To evaluate the influence of gingival thickness and bone grafting on buccal bone plate remodelling after immediate implant placement in sockets with thin buccal bone, using a flapless approach. Materials and Methods The gingiva of eight dogs was thinned at one side of the mandible, mandibular premolars were extracted without flaps, and four implants were installed on each side at 1.5 mm from the buccal bone. The sites were randomly assigned into: TG (test group) = thin gingiva; TG + GM (TG with grafting material); CG (control group) = normal gingiva; and CG + GM (CG with grafting material). After 12 weeks the dogs were sacrificed and the samples were processed for histological analysis. Results All animals exhibited a thin buccal bone initially. In all the experimental groups the buccal gap was filled with newly formed bone and the buccal bone level was slightly apical to the implant shoulder. There were no statistically significant differences among the groups for the histomorphometric parameters. Conclusions The thickness of the buccal bone was a fundamental factor in buccal bone plate resorption, even with flapless implantation. The gingival thickness or the addition of a biomaterial in the gap did not influence the results.