Relationship Between Facial Bone Dimensions, Orofacial Implant Position, and Esthetic Outcomes of Single-Tooth Implants.

Purpose: To investigate the association between the orofacial implant position distance (ID) and facial bone crest thickness (FBCT) in single-tooth implant crowns (STICs) placed in the esthetic zone and to predict the presence of facial bone above the implant shoulder, as well as its impact on Pink and White Esthetic Scores (PES and WES) and patient-related outcome measures (PROMs).

Materials And Methods: In this cross-sectional study, all patients treated with STICs in the esthetic zone between 2006 and 2013 with at least 12 months postloading were invited to enroll. CBCTs were used to assess ID and FBCT. Esthetic outcomes included the PES and WES. PROMs included a participant satisfaction questionnaire with 13 questions formulated for this study. Descriptive statistics and receiver operating characteristic curve analysis were used. The associations between ID, FBCT, esthetic outcomes, and PROMs were calculated.

Results: Data were available for 60 implants. Mean ID was 2.02 mm (SD = 0.77). Mean FBCT at the implant shoulder was 0.99 mm (SD = 0.98). FBCT was significantly associated with higher PES scores (P = .040), but not with WES scores (P = 0.149). FBCT was significantly associated with ID (P = .009), and implants positioned ≥ 1.6 mm palatal in relation to the adjacent teeth were likely to have higher FBCT.

Conclusions: FBCT influences PES and is more predictable if implants are positioned ≥ 1.6 mm palatal in relation to the adjacent teeth.