A 1-year prospective clinical study of soft tissue conditions and marginal bone changes around dental implants after flapless implant surgery

Background. Despite several reports on the clinical outcomes of flapless implant surgery, limited information exists regarding the clinical conditions after flapless implant surgery. Objective. The objective of this study was to evaluate the soft tissue conditions and marginal bone changes around dental implants 1 year after flapless implant surgery. Study design. For the study, 432 implants were placed in 241 patients by using a flapless 1-stage procedure. In these patients, peri-implant soft tissue conditions and radiographic marginal bone changes were evaluated 1 year after surgery. Results. None of the implants were lost during follow-up, giving a success rate of 100%. The mean probing depth was 2.1 mm (SD 0.7), and the average bleeding on probing index was 0.1 (SD 0.3). The average gingival index score was 0.1 (SD 0.3), and the mean marginal bone loss was 0.3 mm (SD 0.4 mm; range 0.0-1.1 mm). Ten implants exhibited bone loss of > 1.0 mm, whereas 125 implants experienced no bone loss at all. Conclusion. The results of this study demonstrate that flapless implant surgery is a predictable procedure. In addition, it is advantageous for preserving crestal bone and mucosal health surrounding dental implants. (Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol Endod 2011;111:41-46)