ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: The aim was to analyse the outcomes of early implant placement after 6 and 12 weeks of healing in ridge preserved sites in a canine model. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Implants were placed in second maxillary incisors sites in 9 dogs 6 weeks after grafting of the sockets with 90% deproteinized bovine bone mineral in 10% collagen matrix (DBBMC) and closure with resorbable type I/III porcine collagen matrix (PCM). The implants were randomly assigned to 6 (T6) and 12 (T12) weeks of healing. RESULTS: The percentage of bone-to-implant contact (%BIC), old bone, new bone and residual DBBMC was similar between T6 and T12. In relation to the implant shoulder (IS), the original bone crest (IS-ROB) was more apical on the buccal than the palatal side. The regenerated bone crest (IS-C) and IS-ROB were similar between groups. However, the distance from IS to first bone-to implant contact (IS-fBIC) was significantly less in T12 compared with T6 (p = .022; Wilcoxon signed-rank test). The bucco-palatal ridge dimensions between T6 and T12 were similar. CONCLUSIONS: This study confirms that implants can successfully be placed early in ridge preserved maxillary second incisor sites and are osseointegrated by 6 weeks. There were significantly lower IS-fBIC values at 12 weeks than at 6 weeks on the buccal aspect. The original buccal bone crest underwent greater corono-apical resorption than the palatal crest. The %BIC, relative proportions of mineralized tissues and dimensions of the alveolar ridge demonstrated stability between 6 and 12 weeks of healing.