Management of Thick and Thin Periodontal Phenotypes for Immediate Dental Implants in the Esthetic Zone: A Controlled Clinical Trial

The goal of the study was to compare the outcome of immediate single-implant placement in esthetic sites of patients with thick or thin tissue phenotypes. Forty-one patients underwent implant surgery with guided bone regeneration including peri-implant gap and overcontour grafting. A connective tissue graft was added only for patients with a thin tissue phenotype. Twenty-six patients completed the 12-month follow-up examination (thick, n = 14; thin, n = 12). The thick-phenotype group gained 0.01 ± 1.56 mm of midfacial soft tissue height, while the thin-phenotype group lost 0.20 ± 1.14 mm (P = .21). There was no significant difference in buccal plate thickness achieved at time of uncovery, pink and white esthetic scores, radiographic bone levels, and clinical parameters between the two groups. These results suggest that when the suggested treatment protocol is followed, there are no significant differences in the outcomes of immediate implant placement for patients with different soft tissue phenotypes.