Comparison of flap and flapless procedures for the stability of chemically modified SLA titanium implants: an experimental study in a canine model.
BACKGROUND
Flapless implant surgery has been shown to accelerate recovery and increase the vascularity of the peri-implant mucosa after implant placement.


OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to compare dental implant stabilization patterns between flap and flapless implant surgeries over the first 8 weeks after implant placement.


METHODS
In 6 mongrel dogs, bilateral, edentulated, and flat alveolar ridges were created in the mandible. After 3 months of healing, 2 implants (Straumann SLA-active) were placed in each side of the mandible using either a flap or flapless procedure. The implant stability quotient (ISQ) that was obtained from Osstell Mentor was measured at the time of implantation and weekly over the first 8 weeks after implant placement.


RESULTS
Implants stabilized more quickly without flap elevation than with flap elevation. For flapless implants, an increase in stability occurred after 2 weeks without a period of decreasing stability. However, for flap implants, a shift in implant stability from decreasing stability to increasing stability occurred after 2 weeks.


CONCLUSIONS
In the canine model, flapless surgical placement of implants may increase the initial stability of implants compared with implants placed after the reflection of the mucoperiosteal flap.
Jeong
Seung-Mi
SM
Department of Dentistry, Yonsei University Wonju College of Medicine, Wonju, South Korea.
Choi
Byung-Ho
BH
Kim
Jihun
J
Lee
Du-Hyeong
DH
Xuan
Feng
F
Mo
Dong-Yub
DY
Lee
Chun-Ui
CU
D000539:Alveolar Process / Q000601:surgery*; D000818:Animals; D003758:Dental Implantation, Endosseous / Q000379:methods*; D015921:Dental Implants; D017268:Dental Prosthesis Retention; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D005881:Gingiva / Q000601:surgery*; D008334:Mandible / Q000601:surgery; D013516:Oral Surgical Procedures, Preprosthetic / Q000379:methods*; D016348:Osseointegration; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013524:Surgical Flaps; D013997:Time Factors
D015921:Dental Implants