Assessment Of Changes In Alveolar Bone Width Around Dental Implants At Native And Reconstructed Bone Sites With CBCT

Background: The extraction of a tooth initiates a series of reparative processes involving alveolar bone, periodontal ligaments, and thegingiva.The present study was conducted to assess changes in alveolar bone width around dental implants at native and reconstructedbone sites with CBCT.Materials & Methods: 56 patients who received dental implants of both genderswere subjected to thorough oral examination followedby CBCT scan of the implant recipient site. Dental implant insertion was done following all standardized measures. Horizontal alveolarbone widths around implants at three levels (subcrestal width 1 mm (CW1), subcrestal width 4 mm (CW4), and subcrestal width 7 mm(CW7)) were measured in all patients.Results: Out of 56 patients, males were 36 and females were 20. The mean bone width at CW1 pre- surgery was 7.04 mm and postsurgery was 6.82 mm, at CW4 pre- surgery was 9.81 mm and post- surgery was 9.12 mm and at CW7 pre- surgery was 11.36 mm andpost- surgery was 11.15 mm. The difference was significant (P< 0.05). The bone width at CW1 at native bone was 0.35 mm and atARP/GBR was -0.03 mm, at CW4 at native bone was 0.58 mm and at ARP/GBR was 0.22 mm and at CW7 at native bone was 0.24mm and at ARP/GBR was 0.03 mm. The difference was non- significant (P> 0.05).Conclusion: Significant alveolar bone width resorption was observed at only the middle third of all sites.CBCT scans can be used toobserve long-term changes in the alveolar bone width around dental implants at native and reconstructed bone sites.