Buccal-Lingual Bone Remodeling in Immediately Loaded Fresh Socket Implants: A Cone Beam Computed Tomography Study

The aim of this study was to evaluate buccal-lingual bone remodeling after fresh socket implant placement and immediate loading at 3 years of follow-up by cone beam computed tomography (CBCT). A total of 96 implants were placed in fresh sockets in anterior maxillary regions and immediately loaded. The sockets were divided into two groups related to buccal bone thickness: group A, with a buccal bone thickness > 1 mm, and group B, with a thickness ≤ 1 mm. The CBCT scans were performed before tooth extractions and 3 years after implant placement, and measurements were assessed. At 3 years, all fresh sockets in both groups presented considerable buccal-palatal crestal reduction. In both groups, statistically significant (P .05) bone loss was found between time points. There was no statistically significant difference in bone reduction between groups at 3 years of follow-up. Nevertheless, sockets with vertical axis presented more bone volume reduction than those with axis parallel to buccal bone after implant placement.