title: Soft tissue dimensions in flapless immediate implants with and without immediate loading: an experimental study in the beagle dog.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the present study was to evaluate the peri-implant soft tissue dimensions in flapless immediate implants with and without immediate loading.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study was carried out on six beagle dogs. Four implants were placed (two per side) immediately after tooth extraction (third and fourth premolars). Flapless immediate implant placement was performed in one hemimandible (control). The same procedure was performed in the contralateral side and immediate prosthesis was connected (test). After 3 months of healing, the dogs were sacrificed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  None of the implants and prosthesis were lost. Barrier epithelium in the loaded group was 2.51 mm at the buccal and 2.34 mm at the lingual aspect. In the no loaded group, the results were similar, 2.54 and 2.2 mm at the buccal and lingual side, respectively. Connective tissue in the loaded group was 1.38 mm at the buccal and 0.65 mm at the lingual aspect, and in the no loaded group 1.48 mm at the buccal and 0.53 mm at the lingual side. Biological width dimensions were 3.9 mm at the buccal and 2.95 mm at the lingual aspect for the loaded group, and 4.01 and 2.64 mm at the buccal and lingual aspect for the no loaded group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of the present study suggested that soft tissues dimensions around immediate implants with immediate loading were similar to immediate implants without loading.
authors.affiliation: Department of Stomatology, School of Dentistry, University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain. jblanco@blancoramos.net
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Blanco
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Carral
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Liñares
authors.forename: Javier
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pérez
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Muñoz
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003238:Connective Tissue / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D003758:Dental Implantation, Endosseous / Q000379:methods*; D015921:Dental Implants; D004285:Dogs; D004846:Epithelial Attachment; D005881:Gingiva / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D057893:Immediate Dental Implant Loading; D008334:Mandible / Q000601:surgery*; D020390:Tooth Socket / Q000601:surgery
chemical_list: D015921:Dental Implants