Purpose: The aim of this pilot study was to determine what effect thin mucosal tissues can have oncrestal bone stability around implants with platform switching.

Materials and Methods: Twelve 2-piece implants, consisting of 6 implants with horizontally matching implant-abutment connection (control) and 6 implants with platform switching (test) were placed in 4 patients. The mean age of the patients was 43 years (range, 37 to 56 yrs). Mucosal tissue thickness atimplant sites was measured to be 2 mm or less. Implants were restored with 5 splinted crowns and single 3-unit fixed partial denture. Intraoral radiographs were obtained and crestal bone changes were mea-sured at implant placement and after a 1-year follow-up post-treatment. The statistical significance level was set to P  less than .05.

Results: Bone loss around the test implants was 1.81 +/- 0.39 mm on the mesial site and 1.70 +/- 0.35 mmon the distal aspect. Control implants overcame marginal bone resorption equaling 1.60 +/- 0.46 mm onthe mesial site and 1.76  +/- 0.45 mm on distal measurement. No statistically significant difference wasfound between control and test implants either mesially (F[1,10]=0.746; P =.408) or distally (F[1,10]=0.080; P =.783).

Conclusion: Within the limitations of this pilot study it can be concluded that implants with platformswitching did not preserve crestal bone better in comparison with implants with traditional implant-abutment connection if, at the time of implant placement, thin mucosal tissues were present.

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