Aesthetic outcome of single-tooth implant restorations following early implant placement and guided bone regeneration: crown and soft tissue dimensions compared with contralateral teeth.

OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to compare crown and soft tissue dimensions of single-tooth implant restorations following early implant placement and guided bone regeneration (GBR) with contralateral non-restored teeth. MATERIAL AND METHODS Twenty-seven patients treated by one and the same surgeon and prosthodontist to restore a single-tooth gap with a class I bone defect in the premaxilla by means of an implant-supported restoration were reviewed. Patients were examined at least 6 months following placement of the crown. All implants had been inserted 6-8 weeks following tooth extraction in conjunction with GBR. At evaluation, crown dimensions, soft tissue dimensions, clinical conditions and patients' aesthetic satisfaction were assessed by one clinician who had not been involved in the treatment. RESULTS Implant-supported crowns were not significantly longer than contralateral teeth and midfacial soft tissues showed comparable levels after on average 21 months of function. Our data also indicated significant papilla loss especially at the distal aspect of the implants. As the patient's aesthetic appreciation was favourable in 88% of the cases, this appeared to be of trivial importance. CONCLUSIONS Favourable aesthetics may be achieved for single-tooth implant restorations following early implant placement and GBR. The impact of the latter on papilla levels, however, remains to be determined in longitudinal studies.