The relationship of bone resorption around dental implants to abutment design: a preliminary 1-year clinical study.

The influence of abutment design on bone resorption around immediately loaded and osseointegrated implants used to support fixed partial prostheses was investigated in a 1-year study. One hundred ten implants were placed in 24 anterior partially edentulous maxillae. The probing depths of each implant were measured 6 and 12 months after abutment placement and analyzed statistically. Total probing depth was 1.75 ± 0.75 mm. There were significant differences between non- and submerged implants with angled abutments and between submerged implants with straight and angled abutments. No significant differences were observed between non- and submerged implants with straight abutments and between nonsubmerged implants with straight and angled abutments. Bone resorption around dental implants is influenced by the abutment design and the associated implantation protocol.