J Long Term Eff Med Implants. 2025;35(4):63-68. doi: 10.1615/JLongTermEffMedImplants.2025059317.
ABSTRACT
The interdental papilla plays a critical role in both the function and esthetics of the anterior maxilla. In implant dentistry, maintaining this delicate soft tissue is often challenging, particularly when implants are adjacent to each other, due to anatomical and vascular limitations. To evaluate the mean height of the peri-implant papilla in the maxillary anterior region and investigate its association with the type of adjacent structure (natural tooth or implant) and implant location (central incisor, lateral incisor, canine). This cross-sectional study included 298 patients with 342 implants and 684 contact areas in the anterior maxilla, with at least 1 year of functional loading. Sites were categorized into implant-tooth (n = 401) and implant-implant (n = 283) groups. Papilla height was measured and statistical analysis was performed using independent t-tests and ANOVA. Mean papilla height was significantly greater in implant-tooth contacts than implant-implant contacts (P < 0.05). At central incisors, papilla height was 3.4 ± 0.4 mm (implant-tooth) vs. 3.0 ± 0.3 mm (implant-implant); at lateral incisors, 2.8 ± 0.3 mm vs. 2.6 ± 0.1 mm; and at canines, 3.0 ± 0.4 mm vs. 2.8 ± 0.2 mm. Central incisors consistently showed the highest papilla values. Peri-implant papilla height is significantly greater at implant-tooth contact sites compared with implant-implant sites in the anterior maxilla. Among all locations, central incisor regions demonstrated the highest papilla levels.
PMID:41213052 | DOI:10.1615/JLongTermEffMedImplants.2025059317
