Reactive soft tissue and absorbable collagen sponge facilitate open wound healing in context of immediate dental implant placement

"The study comparing the healing effectiveness of the RST, composed of granulation tissue and long junctional epithelium, with that of an ACS in posterior sockets receiving immediate implant placement showed that both materials showed comparable soft and hard tissue healing outcomes," the researchers reported.

"The ACS group demonstrated superior tissue colour scores but an inferior fibrous repair score compared with the RST group."

In the literature, there is a lack of studies dedicated to open wound healing. To fill that knowledge gap, Y. Qu, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China, and colleagues aimed to compare the clinical outcomes of open wound healing using reactive soft tissue and absorbable collagen sponge.

The researchers observed and compared the clinical outcomes of soft and hard tissue healing between RST and ACS groups over a short-term follow-up period of approximately 6 months.

The study included forty implants placed immediately in posterior sockets; autologous RST was used in 20 and ACS substitute was used in 20. Soft tissue healing was assessed primarily through a novel scoring system and the evaluation of gingival recession. To observe the hard tissue healing, the interproximal marginal bone level (MBL) and horizontal bone width (HBW) were measured on radiographs to observe the hard tissue healing.

The study revealed the following findings:

• No significant difference in total soft tissue healing score was observed at 2 weeks postoperatively.
• The ACS group showed better tissue colour but worse fibrous repair scores than the RST group.
• Gingival recession levels were comparable in the two groups, both before tooth extraction and after placement of the restoration.
• Regarding hard tissue, HBW and MBL changes showed no intergroup differences.

"Within the limitations of this study, both absorbable collagen sponge and reactive soft tissue seemed effective for open wound closure, achieving ideal soft and hard tissue healing in immediate implant placement," the researchers concluded.

Reference:

Deng, C., Xiong, C., Huo, J., Liu, Y., Man, Y., & Qu, Y. (2023). Posterior open wound healing in immediate implant placement using reactive soft tissue versus absorbable collagen sponge: A retrospective cohort study. International Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijom.2023.11.009