Marginal Bone Stability of Implants Placed in Alveolar Ridge Preservation Areas: a Preliminary Retrospective Analysis

Abstract: After tooth extraction, the alveolar ridge undergoes resorption and atrophy, which usually leads to a wide range of tissue dimensional changes. Preservation of the alveolar ridge can maintain its volume, reduce ridge resorption, and help subsequent dental implant treatment. This retrospective cohort study aims to investigate the marginal bone stability of implants placed in alveolar ridge preservation areas using deproteinized bovine bone mineral with 10% collagen (DBBM-collagen) combined with a native collagen membrane (CM). In this study, forty-seven implant sites divided into either intact or defective extraction sockets were included, using vertical bite-wing films to measure the bone level at baseline, 6 months, and 12 months after implant prosthesis placement. The result of peri-implant mean bone loss was -0.03 ± 0.84mm at 12 months compared to baseline. There was no significant difference in mesial and distal sites compared to baseline. In addition, no significant difference was found between the defective and intact sockets for marginal bone changes. Therefore, ridge preservation combined with DBBM-collagen and CM can provide an ideal alveolar ridge, simplify dental implant procedures, and maintain implant marginal bone stability.