Effect of dental implant neck profile switching on crestal bone healing

Introduction: The majority of dental implants and prostheses rely on the association with the soft tissues that may be vulnerable to future requirements. There are two main requirements for osseointegration: first, the bone must be healthy; second, the implant must be stable and able to withstand the functional load. Methods and Results: Using both the computer12 model and finite element analysis technique to assess the bone space volume in implants with narrow-neck hybrid design compared with butt platform and bevel design at an inter-implant distance of 1 mm, the result showed approximately 56.7 mm in the butt joint platform design implant and between two bevel platforms (+2.74% or more), while it showed 78.42 mm (+38.32%) between two narrow-neck hybrid designs. Discussion and Conclusion: The implant platform switching technique is used to decrease the stress on the crestal bone and allow for better load distribution. This can be done at two levels: one is at the fixture–abutment interface, and the second within the bone at the fixture itself in the body–neck area. The narrow-neck hybrid design seems to be superior in lowering the stress on crestal bone and to provide more room for bone healing potential with less negative effect on soft tissue healing.