Crestal Bone Changes around immediately loaded Single-piece Implants using Flap and Flapless Technique: A Radiographic Study.

AIM: With the trend shifting toward the minimally invasive surgeries in implant surgery, the flapless technique of implant placement is gaining popularity among the implantologists. This study was done to assess the crestal bone loss level in flap and flapless surgery at follow-up periods of 0, 1, and 3 months.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients presenting with missing teeth requiring dental implants for rehabilitation were included in the study. Implant placement was done in 10 patients with traditional flap technique, while in other 10 patients, flapless technique was performed after determining the availability of sufficient bone width with ridge mapping. Radiographical follow-up was done for 3 months at 0-, 1-, and 3-month intervals.

RESULTS: It was observed that for most of the flapless cases, the bone loss settled at 1st thread or just below the implant collar after 3 months.

CONCLUSION: It was seen that crestal bone height was reduced in both flap and flapless techniques. On comparing the bone loss, the flapless approach showed statistically significant lesser reduction as determined by radiovisiography.

CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: The study has been done to evaluate crestal bone level using flap and flapless technique. It was seen that reduction of crestal bone height was seen in both flapless and with flap techniques. However, on comparison, less bone resorption was observed in flapless technique.