Immediate implant placement and provisionalisation in the aesthetic zone

The aim of this retrospective study was to assess the outcome of immediate single‐tooth implant placement and provisionalisation in the aesthetic zone regarding hard and soft peri‐implant tissue parameters and patient‐related outcome measures in a private practice. All consecutively treated patients with single‐tooth immediate implant placement and provisionalisation between the period 1 January 2006 and 1 April 2013 in a referral practice in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, were included in the study. Fifty‐one patients of a total of 64 could be examined at follow‐up (T_follow‐up). Radiographs were present from implant placement (T_placement), after definitive crown placement (T_definitive), and new radiographs were taken at the follow‐up appointment (T_follow‐up). Next to this, soft tissue parameters, patients’ satisfaction and professionals’ aesthetic scores were measured at T_follow‐up. Implant survival was 96·9% after a mean follow‐up period of 4 years following implant placement. At definitive crown placement, mean marginal bone‐level loss was 0·25 mm (SD 0·19). Mean marginal bone‐level loss following definitive crown placement was 0·06 mm (SD 0·10) (T_definitive to T_follow‐up) after a mean follow‐up period of 4 years. Plaque index, bleeding index and gingival index scores were low. Patients’ satisfaction was rated very high: 9·0 (SD 0·7). Professionals aesthetic score was 16·49 (SD 1·86). From this study can be concluded that immediate placement of implants followed by immediate provisionalisation resulted in a high survival rate, minimum peri‐implant bone loss, very good aesthetics and satisfied patients after a mean follow‐up period of 4 years.