Aesthetic outcomes using platform-switching implants or not in anterior maxillae – A retrospective study

Background

As the development of oral implantology, esthetic outcomes of final restorations have been taken seriously in anterior maxillae. Platform-switching implants have been widely used and proved significant protective effect on hard and soft tissue. However, there is still lacking of direct evaluation on esthetic outcomes whether using platform-switching implants or not. Therefore, we compared esthetic outcomes of platform-switching implants to regular platform implants in anterior maxillae.

Aim/Hypothesis

To compare the influence of platform switching or regular platform implants on aesthetic outcomes in the maxillary anterior zone by pink esthetic score and white esthetic score.

Material and Methods

Patients who had received single crown restoration with implant in the anterior maxilla from June 2014 to June 2016 were enrolled. At the time of final crown insertion, the standardized clinical images including a frontal full view image, an occlusal partial view image and a frontal partial view image were collected. Three clinicians who were not participated in the treatment procedures evaluated esthetic outcomes through the images using the pink esthetic score and white esthetic score (PES WES).

Results

A total of 27 implants meeting the inclusion criteria were recruited and divided into two groups- platform-switching group (n = 11) and regular platform group (n = 16). According to the professional assessments, PES in platform-switching group was 6.33 ± 0.78, while PES in regular platform group was 5.77 ± 1.25, which was not statistically different (P = 0.238). WES in platform-switching group was 6.56 ± 1.32, while PES in regular platform group was 5.85 ± 0.96, which was not statistically different either (P = 0.139). In addition, PES WES still showed no statistical difference when platform-switching group was 12.89 ± 1.65 and regular platform group was 11.63 ± 1.67 (P = 0.082).

Conclusion and Clinical Implications

Within the limitations of this retrospective study, platform switching implants showed no statistically better esthetic outcomes than regular platform implants. However, PES WES of platform-switching group was higher than regular platform group. Further study should be taken with larger samples and longer observations to gain strong evidence on comparing aesthetic outcomes of platform switching or regular platform implants in anterior maxillae.