A Randomized Controlled Trial Comparing the Socket Seal Technique to Guided Bone Regeneration in Alveolar Ridge Preservation.

AIM: To compare alveolar ridge preservation (ARP) with the socket seal technique (SS) to the Guided Bone Regeneration technique (GBR).

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

Systemically healthy patients planned for ARP at two sites with an intact bone wall or a buccal dehiscence of up to 6 mm were included. Following socket grafting with collagen-enriched deproteinized bovine bone mineral, sites were randomly allocated to the SS group using a collagen matrix or GBR group using a collagen membrane. The primary outcome was soft tissue thickness at the center of the site at 4 months. Secondary outcomes included changes in hard and soft tissue dimensions and the Socket Wound Healing Score (SWHS).

RESULTS

Eighteen patients (13 females, 5 males) with a mean age of 61 years (SD 7.36) participated in this intra-subject RCT. There was no significant difference in soft tissue thickness at the center of the site between the groups (MD 0.12 mm; 95% CI: -0.67; 0.91; p = 0.750). Changes in hard and soft tissue dimensions also failed to show significant differences. However, during the early healing phase, significantly faster wound closure (p ≤ 0.009) and a lower SWHS (p = 0.008) were observed in the SS group. Implants could be installed in all sites, and additional bone augmentation was required in 6% of the sites. Additional soft tissue augmentation was performed in 22% of the sites.

CONCLUSION

No significant difference in soft tissue thickness was detected between the SS and GBR technique.

TRAIL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT06029322.