CLINICAL STUDY ON THE IMMEDIATE IMPLANTATION WITH GTR THERAPY, INCLUDING BONE HEALING OF EXTRACTION SOCKETS

Early implantation before sufficient ossification has taken place usually results in osseointegartion failure due to reduced bone-fixture interface area. However, various studies have shown successful osseointegration results following immediate implants concurrently with GTR. The clinical trends have been to shorten the patients' edentulous state by immediate implantation, and reduce the alveolar bone resorption. However, it may be difficult to attain the complete soft tissue coverage of the sites, increasing the chance of infection. Furthermore, there may be more studies needed on the clinical behaviors of e-PTFE membranes, various modofications in the membrane materials and bone graft materials. Various animal and clinical studies have been reported on the successful osseointagration following immediate implantation, but the long-term follow-up studies are limited. The present study investigated 16 immediately-implanted implants with GTR therapy with or without calcium carbonate grafting on 11 patients 3 years after installation and 24-30 months after functional loading. Based on the clinical, radiographic and histologic findings, the following results have been attained. 1. Clinically, stability has been shown on all 16 implants throughout the investigated periods. 2. Radiologically, the alveolar bone loss has progressed up to the polished neck portion but not beyond it, suggesting the progressive osseointegration from the GTR therapy. 3. The GTR method used in the present study is easy to use clinically, and may be appied in the regeneration of ossoeous defects around implants and in the immediate implantation. 4. The difficulty in complete tissue coverage may be avoided by delaying the installation for 2 to 3 weeks after the extraction allowing certain degree of soft tissue healing.ope