Comparison of soft tissue volumetric changes and pink aesthetics in immediate implant placement by socket shield and conventional technique: A randomized controlled trial.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare soft tissue volumetric changes on buccal aspect and pink aesthetics score in immediate implant placement by socket shield and conventional technique.

Material and methods: This parallel-arm, randomized controlled trial included 22 participants requiring replacement of single maxillary incisor by immediate implant placement. Immediate implants were placed with socket shield technique (SST) and conventional technique (CT) in respective two groups after randomization. All implants were immediately loaded by immediate loading protocol. Definitive crowns were placed 6 months after implant placement. Scans of casts were recorded by using a digital white light scanner before implant placement and at the end of 12 months. Volumetric soft tissue changes on the buccal aspect was assessed by the superimposition of scanned cast. Esthetic evaluation of soft tissue was done by using pink esthetic score (PES) before implant placement, 6 months, and 12 months after implant placement. Statistical analysis of the data was performed using statistical software (Stata 16.0; Stata Corp LLC).

Results: The mean soft tissue volumetric change on the buccal aspect at the end of 12 months in the SST group was -0.1520 ±0.86 mm, and in the CT group was -0.643 ±0.35 mm and the difference was statistically significant (P=.001). Higher PES was observed in the SST group when compared to the CT group at all time intervals. The difference was statistically significant at 6 months (P=.001) and 12 months (P=.007).

Conclusions: The results of the study show less volumetric change on the buccal aspect and higher PES in SST when compared to CT. Int J Prosthodont 2023. doi: 10.11607/ijp.8063.