Management of Buccal Gap and Resorption of Buccal Plate in Immediate Implant Placement: A Clinical Case Report

When a dental implant is placed into a fresh extraction socket, a space between the implant periphery and surrounding bone occurs. A gap can occur on any aspect of an immediately placed implant: Buccal, lingual or proximally. The objective of immediate implant placement is to provide an osseointegrated fixture suitable for an aesthetic and functional restoration. Bone fill in the gap between the implant and the peripheral bone is important. Surgical management of the buccal gap to obtain an optimal result is controversial and confusing with respect to the best techniques to achieve the following: Optimal bone fills in the gap, most coronal level of bone-to-implant contact, and the least amount of buccal bone loss and soft tissue recession. This clinical case report illustrates the management of the buccal gap and reducing buccal plate resorption when contemplating immediate implant placement.