A Comparative Study of Clinical Parameters in Submerged and Non submerged Implants.

AIM The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the radiographic bone loss and soft tissue parameters around one stage and two stage implants. MATERIALS AND METHODS Twenty four patients with submerged implants and twenty four patients with non submerged implants at the time of loading were assessed in this prospective cohort study. The soft tissue assessment included probing depth (PD), papilla index (PI), mucosal thickness (MT) and keratinized tissue (KG); another parameter assessed was the radiographic distance between the shoulder of the implant and alveolar crest evaluated at baseline (loading time) and 3,6 and 12 months after loading in both groups.Data were analysed using repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) and multiple comparisons were done using LSD method. RESULTS The changes in the soft tissues including PD, KG, MT and PI had no significant differences in either group. The amount of bone loss 3 and 6 months after loading was significantly greater in one stage implants (0.93±0.45 mm at 3months and1.45±0.58 mm at 6months, for one stage and 0.32±0.21 mm at 3months and 0.74±0.43 mm at 6 months for two stage group). But the change of this index 12 months later was not significantly different between the two groups (1.87±0.76mm for one stage and 1.65±0.59mm for two stage group). CONCLUSION Based on the results of this study there is no difference in hard and soft tissue changes one year after loading of one or two stage implants.