The Two-dimensional Size of Peri-implant Soft Tissue in the Anterior Maxilla and Some Relevance: A 1- to 7-year Cross-sectional Study

Aim: This study measured the two-dimensional size of soft and hard tissues and analysed some relevance between them.

Material And Methods: Ninety-six maxillary anterior implants with a follow-up time 1-7 years postoperatively were evaluated. We superimposed the CBCT data of 72 patients with the optical scan data, followed by the measurements of the thickness and the height of soft and bone tissues. The shoulder of the implant was the reference point for all vertical measurements.

Results: At the level of implant shoulder, the mid-buccal mean thickness of soft tissue was 1.83 ± 0.76 mm, and on the palatal side, it was 4.00 ± 1.22 mm. The mean height of mid-buccal and mid-palatal gingiva was 4.16 ± 1.07 mm and 4.27 ± 1.07 mm. The buccal and palatal vertical bone wall peak was 0.41 ± 0.73 mm and 0.22 ± 0.57 mm coronal to the implant shoulder, and the marginal bone loss was -0.28 ± 0.76 mm and -0.84 ± 1.41 mm. Correlation analysis showed that the soft tissue thickness was negatively correlated with the bone thickness at 0 mm on the buccal side and at 0/2/4 mm on the palatal side apical towards from implant shoulder. The gingival height was significantly positively correlated with bone peak height and marginal bone height.

Conclusion: Soft and hard tissues were basically negatively correlated in the horizontal direction. Sites with little marginal bone loss or high bone peak positively correlated with higher soft tissue levels.