Background: The practice of immediately placing dental implants has grown widespread in the field of oral implantology, and there is ongoing discussion on the optimal surgical technique, namely whether to use a flap or flapless approach. The objective of this study was to evaluate and compare the results of these two procedures in relation to gum health, bleeding during probing, soft tissue thickness, implant durability, bone loss, and bone density.
The Aim of the work: We aim to examine and contrast the results of instantaneous implant implantation operations using two distinct surgical methods: flap surgery and flapless surgery.
Patients and Methods: A total of forty patients who were scheduled for implant surgery at the Maxillofacial Department Surgery were assigned to two distinct groups: Group I, which underwent flapless surgery, and Group II, which underwent flap surgery. The study evaluated various parameters including the gum health index, bleeding during probing, soft tissue thickness around and on top of the implants, implant stability, bone loss, and bone density. These assessments were conducted at the start of the trial and again after a 6-month follow-up.
Results: There were no notable disparities in the average gum health index and bleeding during probing between the two groups at the start and after 6 months. There were no notable variations in the thickness of the soft tissue surrounding the teeth on the sides. Nevertheless, the thickness of the soft tissue covering the teeth was notably reduced in the group that underwent flap surgery. The implant stability was similar in both groups.
Conclusion: Flapless surgery exhibited similar results to flap surgery in terms of gum health, bleeding during probing, soft tissue thickness, and implant stability. Nevertheless, it shown benefits in preserving the thickness of the soft tissue above the teeth and preventing excessive bone loss and decreased bone density during a 6-month timeframe.