Clinical and Radiographic Evaluation of Crestal Bone Loss Around Dental Implants with Buttress and V-Shaped Thread Designs Using A CBCT Study: A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial

Introduction Crestal bone stability is a key determinant of long-term implant success. Implant thread design influences stress distribution at the bone–implant interface. This study clinically and radiographically evaluates crestal bone loss around buttress and V-shaped thread designs using CBCT.

Aim This randomized controlled trial (RCT) aimed to compare crestal bone loss around implants with two different thread designs: buttress and V-shaped.

Materials and methods A total of 20 patients requiring single-tooth implant placement in the posterior tooth region were randomly divided into two groups: Group A (buttress thread design) and Group B (V-shaped thread design), with 10 patients in each group. Cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) was used to assess crestal bone levels immediately after implant placement and at 9-month follow-up. Standardized surgical and prosthetic protocols were followed to minimize confounding factors.

Results All implants demonstrated successful osseointegration with a survival rate of 100% at 9 months. While both groups showed some degree of crestal bone loss, Group B (V-shaped threads) exhibited slightly higher bone resorption compared to Group A (buttress threads). However, the difference in crestal bone loss between the two groups was not statistically significant (p > 0.05).

Conclusion Within the limitations of this RCT, it can be concluded that although V-shaped thread design showed a greater tendency for crestal bone loss than the buttress design, the difference was not statistically significant. Long-term studies with larger sample sizes are recommended to validate these findings.