Analysis of the socket bone wall dimensions in the upper maxilla in relation to immediate implant placement

Abstract

Background: Animal and human researches have shown that immediate implant placement into extraction sockets failed to prevent socket dimensional changes following tooth extraction. It has been suggested that a minimal width of 1–2 mm of buccal bone is necessary to maintain a stable vertical dimension of the alveolar crest. Aim: To determine the dimensions of the bony wall at extraction sites in the esthetic zone (anterior teeth and premolars in the maxilla) and relate it to immediate implant placement. Methods: As part of an ongoing prospective randomized‐controlled multicenter clinical study on immediate implant placement, the width of the buccal and palatal bony walls was recorded at 93 extraction sites. Results: The mean width of the buccal and palatal bony walls was 1 and 1.2 mm, respectively (PPClin. Oral Impl. Res. 21, 2010; 37–42.