The Socket Shield Technique, a Prospective Cohort Study of 20 Patients

August 29, 2025 updated by: Ana CASTRO SARDA, Universitaire Ziekenhuizen KU Leuven

The Socket Shield Technique: Stability of the Buccal Peri-implant Bone After Partial Root Removal - a Prospective Cohort Study of 20 Patients, With 18 Months Follow-up

23 implants with socket shield were followed for 18 months. buccal bone thickness and survival rates registered.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

Aims: This study aims to collect data on implant survival, bone volume maintenance, and complications associated with the socket shield technique.

Materials & methods: The study involved the placement of 23 implants using the socket shield technique in 20 patients. AstraTech EV implants were used, and no bone substitutes or connective tissue grafts were applied. Patients were monitored for 18 months, recording implant survival, volumetric bone analysis on CBCT scans, interproximal bone levels, bone sounding, pink esthetic scores, and complications. Prosthetic procedures were also described, including temporary and final restorations.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

20

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • Belgium
      • Leuven, Belgium
        • UZ Leuven

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • • Hopeless teeth suitable for immediate implant placement

    • Only single-rooted teeth in the maxilla
    • Intact buccal and palatal bone plate
    • Intact buccal root portion
    • Any periodontal phenotype (thin, thick)

Exclusion Criteria:

  • • Horizontal root fracture below bone level

    • Smoking
    • Systemic pathology influencing bone healing
    • Active periodontal disease

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: N/A
  • Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: oral implant placement with socket shield technique
cohort of 20 patients in need of tooth replacement with oral implant
Device: oral implant placement with socket shield technique
tooth is split in socket shield configuration, implant is immediately placed

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
buccal bone thickness
Time Frame: 18 months
thickness as measured on cbct scan
18 months

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Cumulative survival rate
Time Frame: 18 months
implant survival
18 months

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Universitaire Ziekenhuizen KU Leuven

Collaborators

Dentsply Sirona Implants and Consumables

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Rutger Dhondt, Universitaire Ziekenhuizen KU Leuven

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

June 18, 2018

Primary Completion (Actual)

January 10, 2023

Study Completion (Actual)

January 10, 2023

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

May 30, 2023

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

June 13, 2023

First Posted (Actual)

June 15, 2023

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimated)

September 5, 2025

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

August 29, 2025

Last Verified

June 1, 2023

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • S59423

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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