Abstract:

Immediate implant placement is a successful procedure that can offer several advantages over delayed implant placement. From chairside time saving to enhanced soft tissue contour, to enhanced hard and soft tissue preservation this procedure allows the achievement of ideal anterior peri-implant esthetics. When coupled with immediate loading, it also offers a level of patient satisfaction that is likely unmatched. The most important area where success or failure is evident is at the soft tissue-prosthesis interface. Several clinical suggestions, at times conflicting, have been made to ideally design the prosthesis emergence profile. However, the interactions between a specific emergence profile and the surrounding soft tissues remains unclear.

This presentation will critically review the available information on this topic drawing on what we know related to emergence profile of tooth-supported fixed prostheses. It will then examine the available information of how specific implant prostheses emergence profile characteristics affect peri-implant soft tissues esthetics and the occurrence of peri-implant disease.

Learning objectives:

1. To understand the relationship between emergence profile and angle and ideal soft tissues esthetics
2. To critically evaluate the literature related to contour and occurrence of peri-implantitis and marginal bone loss
3. To learn in which cases immediate loading of immediately placed implants is a predictable and safe procedure