The Effect of Soft Tissue Thickness on Peri-implant Marginal Bone Level Maintenance
Abstract
maintenance, and to clarify the protective effect of thick soft tissue on crestal bone stability around dental implants. Method: A total of 82
patients (112 implants) who underwent implant surgery in our department from January 2022 to December 2024 were enrolled. According
to the baseline buccal soft tissue thickness measured before implant placement, patients were divided into a thin soft tissue group (STT < 2
mm, 40 implants) and a thick soft tissue group (STT ? 2 mm, 72 implants). All patients received standard implant surgery and fixed prosthetic
restorations, with a follow-up period of 12 months. Marginal bone loss (MBL) at the mesial, distal, buccal, and lingual sites of implants was
measured via periapical radiographs at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months post-loading. Secondary outcomes included peri-implant soft tissue parameters
(gingival index, plaque index, probing depth), implant stability quotient (ISQ), and the incidence of peri-implant mucositis. Result: At each
follow-up time point, the thick soft tissue group showed significantly less MBL than the thin soft tissue group (P < 0.05). At 12 months, the
mean MBL was 0.31 0.12 mm in the thick group and 0.86 0.24 mm in the thin group, with a statistically significant difference (P < 0.001).
The thick group also exhibited better gingival health, lower plaque accumulation, and higher ISQ values compared with the thin group (P <
0.05). The incidence of peri-implant mucositis was 7.14% in the thick group and 25.00% in the thin group (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Soft tissue
thickness is a critical factor affecting peri-implant marginal bone maintenance. A baseline soft tissue thickness of ? 2 mm effectively reduces
crestal bone resorption, improves soft tissue health, and enhances long-term stability of implants. For sites with thin soft tissue, early soft tissue augmentation is recommended to optimize peri-implant bone and tissue conditions.
Keywords
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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.70711/pmr.v3i8.9537
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