Influence of gingival thickness on soft tissue changes after immediate implants and immediate provisionalization in the esthetic zone: an ambispective cohort study

Abstract

Background To evaluate the influence of gingival thickness on soft tissue changes after immediate implant placement and provisionalization (IIPP). Methods Twenty-two patients requiring IIPP were categorized into two groups based on the visibility of a periodontal probe in the sulcus: thin phenotype and thick phenotype. Gingival thickness was measured preoperatively, while midfacial recession, papilla recession, and horizontal contour collapse were evaluated at 3 and 6 months postoperatively. Comparative analyses of soft tissue alterations between the groups were conducted, alongside an examination of the correlation between gingival thickness and soft tissue changes. Results A total of twenty-two patients, encompassing 30 sites, completed the 6-month follow-up period. At 6 months, the thin phenotype group exhibited a midfacial recession of 0.73 ± 0.69 mm, compared to 0.89 ± 0.52 mm in the thick phenotype group. No statistically significant differences in soft tissue alterations were observed between the groups, and no statistically significant association correlation was identified between gingival thickness and soft tissue changes. Conclusion Within the constraints of this study, no statistically significant differences in soft tissue alterations were observed between different gingival phenotype groups at 6 months following IIPP. Since the study was powered to detect a clinically relevant difference of 1 mm, it lacked the sensitivity to definitively confirm or rule out the more subtle difference observed.