Objective: the present study was designed to evaluate the effect of flap and flapless procedures in dental implant installation on initial crestal bone loss. Subjects & Methods: Twelve patients were enrolled in the study. The patients divided into two groups. group I (flapless group), and group II (flapped group). Patients were followed up at the 2nd and 7th days after surgery for severity of pain, swelling, infection, dehiscence of the tissue. The periodontal probing depth was measured. Post-operative implant stability was measured 6 months after surgery. Crestal bone level was measured. Postoperative measurement of bone density was performed 6 months after surgery.
Results: The flapless technique group showed statistically significant reduction in pain intensity and swelling than the flap technique. Patients operated with flap technique showed higher pocket depth than patients operated with flapless technique. The implant stability was greater in patients of flapless group than in patients of flap group. The amount of crestal bone loss was less in the flapless group than the flap group. Bone density was increased in the flapless group as well as in the flap group.
Conclusion: Both flapless and flap techniques achieved good success rates. The use of flapless technique reduces the postoperative soft tissue inflammation, pain and swelling. The flapless technique significantly reduces the amount of crestal bone loss. The flapless technique has no advantage over flap one in probing depth, implant stability and bone density.