Healing of horizontal marginal bone defects modified by piezoelectric surgery in immediately placed implants

Implants placed immediately after tooth extraction show several advantages reducing treatment time compared to the classical staged approach. However, a gap between implant platform and alveolar bone is frequently associated with immediate implant placement. The aim of the study was to evaluate the clinical healing of horizontal marginal bone defects modified by means of bone piezoelectric surgery in implants placed in fresh extraction sockets.15 implants have been placed in fresh extraction sockets of 12 patients in the upper premolar area. 38,5% of experimental sites showed a marginal bone gap larger than 2 mm on palatal side. In order to reduce these marginal bone defects, two vertical osteotomies were performed by piezoelectric surgery allowing the displacement of marginal bone wall. Peri-implant tissue healing has been evaluated recording clinical parameters and standardized radiographs at implant placement and after 4, 6, 18 months. The clinical and radiographic success rate of immediately placed implants was 92,3%. Fixtures with horizontal marginal bone defects modified by bone piezoelectric surgery showed at 18 months a stable clinical healing of peri-implant hard and soft tissues.