Journal of Maxillofacial and Oral Surgery

Introduction

 Immediate implant with socket shield and immediate implant without socket shield are the two techniques which can be used to preserve the already thin labial bone in the esthetic region, thus eliminating the need for graft materials. Aim To compare the efficacy of immediate implant placement after extraction without socket-shield technique and with socket-shield technique in the esthetic region. Materials and Methods Sixteen patients who reported with unsalvageable maxillary anterior teeth with labial bone thickness of less than 2 mm, depicted on preoperative CBCT, were chosen for the study and randomly assigned one of the two groups: Group A comprising socket-shield technique patients and Group B comprising immediate implant placement without socket shield. The labial bone thickness was analyzed along its entire length through CBCT scan at definite follow-up intervals up to a period of 12 months after the procedure. Results Follow-up of 1 year demonstrated a statistically significant reduction in the labial bone thickness at the crest in Group B after 8th and 12th months of implant placement. Conclusion The two techniques need further comparison though our study results demonstrated better preservation of bone through the socket-shield technique, thus eliminating the need for any bony substitutes.