A technique for standardized evaluation of soft and hard peri-implant tissues in partially edentulous patients.
BACKGROUND
There is a growing need to evaluate the esthetics of implant-supported crowns and bridges. An important tool for such an evaluation is standardized assessment of the soft and hard peri-implant tissue levels.


METHODS
A simple acrylic device has been developed for reliable and reproducible assessment of soft and hard peri-implant tissues using standardized color slides and standardized dental x-rays. With this device, changes in both the soft and hard tissues around implant-supported crowns can be evaluated as a function of time. The reproducibility of the technique was tested on color slides as well as on dental x-rays in a series of implant-supported crowns and their neighboring teeth.


RESULTS
The reproducibility of this technique was excellent. The measuring errors for repeated measurements of the soft and hard tissues were 0.14 +/- 0.02 mm and 0.13 +/- 0.01 mm, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
The device is a reliable tool to assess changes in both soft and hard tissues around crowns and implants over time. Likewise, it is suggested that this technique also can be used to objectively assess soft and hard tissue changes around natural teeth with or without prosthetic restorations.
Meijndert
Leo
L
Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Groningen University Hospital, Groningen, The Netherlands. l.meijndert@kchir.azg.nl
Meijer
Henny J A
HJ
Raghoebar
Gerry M
GM
Vissink
Arjan
A
D000180:Acrylic Resins; D000539:Alveolar Process / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D003442:Crowns; D015921:Dental Implants; D019094:Dental Prosthesis, Implant-Supported; D004867:Equipment Design; D004955:Esthetics, Dental; D006801:Humans; D007576:Jaw, Edentulous, Partially / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D010347:Patient Care Planning; D010519:Periodontium / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D023861:Photography, Dental / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000592:standards; D011861:Radiography, Dental / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000592:standards; D015203:Reproducibility of Results
D000180:Acrylic Resins; D015921:Dental Implants