Article:
Molar Septum Expansion with Osseodensification for Immediate Implant Placement, Retrospective Multicenter Study with Up-to-5-Year Follow-Up, Introducing a New Molar Socket Classification
Summary:
The ideal positioning of immediate implants in molar extraction sockets often requires
the osteotomy to be in the interradicular septum, which can be challenging in some cases, with
traditional site preparation techniques. Patients who had undergone molar tooth extraction and
immediate implant placement at five different centers, and followed up between August 2015 and
September 2020, were evaluated. Inclusion criteria were use of the osseodensification technique for
implant site preparation. The primary outcome was septum width measurement pre-instrumentation
and osteotomy diameter post expansion. Clinical outcomes, such as implant insertion torque (ISQ)
and implant survival rate, were also collected. A total of 131 patients, who received 145 immediate
implants, were included. The mean overall septum width at baseline was 3.3 mm and the mean
osteotomy diameter post instrumentation was 4.65 mm. A total of ten implants failed: seven within
the healing period and three after loading; resulting in a cumulative implant survival rate of 93.1%.
This retrospective study showed that osseodensification is a predictable method for immediate
implant placement with interradicular septum expansion in molar extraction sockets. Furthermore, it
allowed the introduction of a new molar socket classification.