The effect of two different abutment designs on marginal bone loss: a pilot randomised controlled clinical trial

OBJECTIVE: A new implant system allows the use of both platform and conical abutments within the same implant design. The aim of this pilot clinical study was to preliminarily describe the marginal bone behaviour associated with these abutment connection designs. METHOD: A randomized controlled clinical study was initiated to evaluate conical and platform abutments. After successful osseointegration, platform and conical abutments were randomly applied to the implant. Then, all patients were scheduled for clinical follow-up appointments at 6, 12, and 24 months, after the placement of the final restorations. The probing depth and marginal bone level of each implant were measured. RESULTS: A total of 33 patients with 86 dental implants were followed over the 2-year period. At all-time points, the probing depth and marginal bone level of the 45 (52,3%) conical abutment was lower than that of the 41(47.7%) platform abutments. The probing depth in the anterior region is consistently greater than that in the posterior region, while marginal bone level is typically greater in the posterior region compared to the anterior region. CONCLUSIONS: The two abutments in this implant system demonstrate good long-term stability across various implant-supported restorations. Notably, the conical abutments are more effective than platform abutments in maintaining the height of peri-implant soft and hard tissues.