Guidelines for Selecting the Implant Diameter During Immediate Implant Placement of a Fresh Extraction Socket: A Case Series

This prospective case series proposes a method for selecting the diameter of immediate postextraction anterior implants and guiding the placement position of the implant based on the buccolingual dimension with the goal of preserving the buccal bone wall. The socket buccolingual distance was measured to determine the appropriate implant diameter, considering a 3-mm gap to the buccal wall. Pre- and postoperative cone-beam computed tomography images were compared to evaluate the buccal bone. The socket width measurements were not significantly different (P = .931). The mean widths of the postoperative buccal bone were 3.01 +/- 0.18 mm, 2.92 +/- 0.38 mm, and 2.83 +/- 0.42 mm for the crestal bone at the implant platform and at 2 and 4 mm apically, respectively, after 35 months of follow-up. This new diameter selection method for implants demonstrated predictable buccal plate preservation.