Prevalence of favourable anatomy for palatal emergence of an immediate implant in the maxillary central incisor post-extraction site

The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of favourable anatomy for palatal emergence of an immediate flapless implant in the maxillary central incisor post-extraction site. Implants were virtually placed into maxillary central incisor sites using 3D implant planning software. Following a strict implant placement criteria to keep a safety distance to the buccal plate and other anatomical structures, sockets where assessed to determine their suitability for a palatally emerging implant. From 321 patients included in this study, 62.3% presented a suitable socket anatomy for an immediate implant to be placed with the angulation for a screw retained crown. In 29% of the cases, the implants had to be labially tilted to keep a minimum distance to the buccal plate. 8.7% were unsuitable for immediate implants due to anatomic limitations. The position and angulation for an implant in the maxillary central incisor socket should be carefully assessed preoperatively with 3D images, as many sites will not be candidates for a palatal emergence and thus, a screw retained restoration.