Midfacial Soft Tissue Recession Following Immediate Implant Placement with Bone Grafting in the Esthetic Area: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Purpose: To systematically analyze the outcomes of immediate implant placement (IIP) with bone grafting in the esthetic area. Materials and Methods: PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane CENTRAL were searched. Prospective studies reporting midfacial soft tissue recession (primary outcome) of single-tooth IIP with bone grafting in the esthetic area were included. Risks of bias were assessed. Meta-analysis, sensitivity analysis, and meta-regression were undertaken. Results: A total of 13 studies and 421 patients were included, with a follow-up length of 1 to 10 years in function. The weighted mean (95% CI) of midfacial soft tissue recession was 0.33 (0.21, 0.46) mm and 0.54 (0.16, 0.93) mm after 1 year and 5 years in function. Meta-regression indicated that after 1 year in function, there was 0.33 mm less midfacial soft tissue recession with soft tissue grafting (P = .021), while there was 0.58 mm more soft tissue recession (P = .007) in defect extraction sockets. Implant survival was 97.8%, and all failures were early failures. Peri-implant soft and hard tissue stability, peri-implant health, esthetic outcomes, and patient satisfaction were predictable within the follow-up period. Conclusion: Midfacial soft tissue recession showed an ongoing status in IIP with bone grafting in the esthetic area within 5 years in function. For extraction sockets with a thin gingival biotype or deficient buccal bone wall, soft tissue grafting was recommended. Int J Oral Maxillofac Implants 2023;38:239-250. doi: 10.11607/jomi.10014