The effects of hard and soft tissue grafting and individualization of healing abutments at immediate implants: an experimental study in dogs

Purpose To evaluate the effects of intra-alveolar socket grafting, subepithelial connective tissue grafts, and individualized abutments on peri-implant hard and soft tissue outcomes following immediate implant placement. Methods This randomized experimental study employed 5 mongrel dogs, with 4 sites per dog (total of 20 sites). The mesial roots of P3 and P4 were extracted in each hemimandible and immediate dental implants were placed. Each site was randomly assigned to 1 of 4 different treatment groups: standardized healing abutment (control group), alloplastic bone substitute material (BSS) + standardized healing abutment (SA group), BSS + individualized healing abutment (IA group), and BSS + individualized healing abutment + a subepithelial connective tissue graft (IAG group). Clinical, histological, and profilometric analyses were performed. The intergroup differences were calculated using the Bonferroni test, setting statistical significance at