Dimension of keratinized mucosa and the interproximal papilla between adjacent implants.
BACKGROUND
The interproximal papilla between two adjacent implants is gaining critical interest in the implant dentistry. The aims of this study were to evaluate the effect of 1) the width of keratinized mucosa, 2) the distance from the base of the contact point to the crestal bone, and 3) the horizontal distance between two implants on the radiographic dimension from the tip of the papilla to the crestal bone between two implants.


METHODS
This study involved 72 interproximal papillae between two adjacent implants (interimplant papilla) in 52 patients who had implants placed adjacent to each other and had a prosthesis in place more than 1 year. The shortest distance between the radiopaque material on the tip of the interimplant papilla and most coronal portion of the interimplant crestal bone was measured (the radiographic length of the papilla [RL]). The width of keratinized mucosa from the tip of the papilla was measured (WK). The vertical distance between the base of the contact point and the interimplant crestal bone was measured (CC). The horizontal distance between the two adjacent implants was measured at the fixture-abutment interface level (HD). Multiple regression analysis was performed between WK-RL, CC-RL, and HD-RL.


RESULTS
RL had a significant relation with WK between two adjacent implants (P = 0.001). However, RL was not related with other variables, such as CC and HD (CC, P = 0.641; HD, P = 0.901).


CONCLUSIONS
The results of this study suggest that the width of keratinized mucosa between two adjacent implants might be related to the dimension of the interproximal papilla between two adjacent implants.
Lee
Dong-Won
DW
Department of Periodontology, Yongdong Severance Hospital, College of Dentistry, Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea.
Park
Kwang-Ho
KH
Moon
Ik-Sang
IS
D000328:Adult; D000539:Alveolar Process / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D002508:Cephalometry; D000044:Dental Abutments; D015921:Dental Implants; D005260:Female; D005881:Gingiva / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D007633:Keratins; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019252:Radiography, Dental, Digital; D013997:Time Factors
D015921:Dental Implants; D007633:Keratins