NCT07727980

Brief Summary

The goal of this clinical trial is to evaluate whether an anatomical prefabricated healing abutment (AHA) improves tissue preservation and clinical outcomes following immediate implant placement after tooth extraction in adults. Although immediate implant placement is a well-established treatment for replacing missing teeth, healing can result in changes to the surrounding bone and soft tissues that may affect the esthetic appearance, function, and long-term stability of the implant-supported restoration. This study will compare an anatomical healing abutment, designed to mimic the natural tooth emergence profile and support peri-implant tissues during healing, with a conventional healing abutment. The primary objectives are to determine whether the AHA better preserves soft tissue contours and alveolar bone, improves implant positioning accuracy and tissue stability during healing, and differs from a conventional healing abutment in complications or adverse events. Eligible participants will be adults requiring extraction of a hopeless tooth in the posterior maxilla or mandible who are suitable candidates for immediate implant placement. Following tooth extraction and implant placement, participants will receive either an anatomical prefabricated healing abutment or a conventional healing abutment and will return for scheduled follow-up visits over approximately 12 months to assess healing, implant stability, and changes in the surrounding hard and soft tissues. Researchers will collect clinical measurements, digital intraoral scans, photographs, and radiographic images throughout the study. Additional research imaging will be used to generate three-dimensional models to measure tissue volume changes and implant position accuracy. Specialized software will compare changes between the two groups over time. Safety will be evaluated by monitoring participants for complications, discomfort, inflammation, implant-related problems, and other adverse events throughout follow-up. All procedures will be performed by trained dental professionals using established clinical protocols. The results may improve understanding of how healing abutment design influences tissue preservation after immediate implant placement and help optimize future implant therapy by supporting better functional, esthetic, and long-term outcomes.

Trial Health

63
Monitor

Trial Health Score

Automated assessment based on enrollment pace, timeline, and geographic reach

Enrollment
30

participants targeted

Target at below P25 for not_applicable

Timeline
24mo left

Started Sep 2026

Typical duration for not_applicable

Geographic Reach
1 country

2 active sites

Status
not yet recruiting

Health score is calculated from publicly available data and should be used for screening purposes only.

Trial Relationships

Click on a node to explore related trials.

Study Timeline

Key milestones and dates

First Submitted

Initial submission to the registry

July 14, 2026

Completed
13 days until next milestone

First Posted

Study publicly available on registry

July 27, 2026

Completed
1 month until next milestone

Study Start

First participant enrolled

September 1, 2026

Expected
1.5 years until next milestone

Primary Completion

Last participant's last visit for primary outcome

March 1, 2028

6 months until next milestone

Study Completion

Last participant's last visit for all outcomes

September 1, 2028

Last Updated

July 27, 2026

Status Verified

July 1, 2026

Enrollment Period

1.5 years

First QC Date

July 14, 2026

Last Update Submit

July 24, 2026

Conditions

Keywords

3-dimensional imagingwound healinghealing abutmentsimmediate implant placementsoft tissue dimensional alterationsimplant position accuracy

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

  • Three-dimensional (3D) peri-implant soft tissue volumetric changes within the region of interest (ROI)

    To assess soft tissue three-dimensional (3D) volumetric changes by calculating the percentage variation in cubic millimeters (% mm³) within defined regions of interest (ROI), using superimposed consecutive digital surface models (intraoral scans) obtained at pre-extraction (T1), impression (T3), baseline/prosthesis delivery (T4), 6 months (T5), and 12 months (T6), at the Geomagic® metrology software. This endpoint will assess the ability of the scannable anatomical healing abutment to preserve peri-implant soft tissue contours following immediate implant placement. Longitudinal changes will be analyzed using mixed-effects models to evaluate the interaction between treatment group and time.

    From enrollment to the end of treatment at 12 months follow-up

Secondary Outcomes (17)

  • Mid-facial mucosal margin (MM) level

    From enrollment to the 12-months follow-up

  • Keratinized mucosa width (KMW)

    From enrollment to 12-months follow-up

  • Pink Esthetic Score (PES)

    From prosthesis delivery to 12-months follow-up

  • Implant position accuracy

    From implant planning to immediate post-implant placement

  • 3D hard tissue change (3DHT)

    From implant placement to 12-months follow-up

  • +12 more secondary outcomes

Study Arms (2)

AHA Group

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants assigned to the experimental group will receive a prefabricated anatomical healing abutment (AHA) following immediate implant placement after tooth extraction. The AHA is a healing component designed to better reproduce the natural emergence profile of the extracted tooth and provide anatomical support to the surrounding peri-implant soft tissues during the healing period. After placement of the dental implant, the anatomical prefabricated healing abutment will be connected to the implant and maintained throughout the initial healing phase until the definitive implant-supported restoration is provided according to standard clinical procedures. The intervention is intended to evaluate whether maintaining a more natural tissue contour during healing improves preservation of peri-implant soft tissue volume and stability compared with a conventional healing abutment. Participants will undergo routine clinical follow-up evaluations to measure changes in the soft tissues.

Device: scannable anatomical healing abutment

Conventional Healing Abutment Group

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Participants assigned to the control group will receive a conventional healing abutment following immediate implant placement after tooth extraction. The conventional healing abutment represents the standard approach commonly used during the implant healing phase and is designed to allow the surrounding soft tissues to heal and form an appropriate contour around the implant site before placement of the definitive implant-supported restoration. Following implant placement, the conventional healing abutment will be connected to the implant and maintained during the initial healing period according to standard clinical protocols. Participants will undergo the same follow-up schedule and evaluations as the experimental group. Data collected during the 12-month follow-up period will be used to compare changes in peri-implant soft tissue contour, tissue volume preservation, bone remodeling, implant stability, and other clinical outcomes between the control and test groups.

Device: Standard Healing Abutment for Dental Implants

Interventions

The anatomical prefabricated healing abutment (AHA) is a dental implant healing component specifically designed to reproduce the natural emergence profile of the extracted tooth and provide anatomical support to the peri-implant soft tissues during the healing phase following immediate implant placement. Unlike conventional healing abutments, which typically have a standardized cylindrical shape, the AHA is designed with an anatomical contour intended to better maintain the 3D shape and volume of the soft tissues surrounding the implant. The intervention consists of placement of the AHA immediately after implant insertion and its use throughout the healing period until delivery of the definitive implant-supported restoration. The effectiveness of the AHA will be evaluated by comparing three-dimensional soft tissue volume changes, tissue contour preservation, bone remodeling, implant positioning outcomes, and clinical parameters with those observed using a conventional healing abutment.

Also known as: AHA
AHA Group

The conventional healing abutment is a standard prefabricated healing component used during the healing phase following dental implant placement. Unlike the anatomical prefabricated healing abutment evaluated in the experimental group, it has a standardized, generally cylindrical contour and is not specifically designed to replicate the natural emergence profile of the extracted tooth. After implant placement, it is connected to the implant to allow the surrounding soft tissues to heal and establish an appropriate peri-implant tissue contour before placement of the definitive implant-supported restoration. The intervention consists of the placement and maintenance of the conventional healing abutment during the healing period according to standard clinical practice. Outcomes will be compared with the anatomical prefabricated healing abutment group to evaluate differences in soft tissue volume preservation, tissue contour changes, bone remodeling, and other clinical parameters.

Also known as: Titanium Prefabricated Healing Abutment
Conventional Healing Abutment Group

Eligibility Criteria

Age20 Years - 75 Years
Sexall
Healthy VolunteersNo
Age GroupsAdult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

  • Willing to sign an IRB-approved informed consent and HIPAA authorization form prior to participation.
  • Between the ages of 20 and 75 years old.
  • ASA Classification I and II.
  • Hopeless maxillary or mandibular posterior teeth, eligible for immediate implantation, and with intact/successfully restored adjacent teeth.
  • Willing to perform tasks associated with the study and to attend all study visits.

You may not qualify if:

  • HbA1c \>6.5%) as per a chairside test (Siemens Bayer DCA 2000+);
  • smoker (any status);
  • immunodeficiency;
  • history of head and neck radiotherapy;
  • intake of bone anti-resorptive drugs;
  • cysts or tumors in the area;
  • self-reported pregnancy;
  • poor oral hygiene;
  • active periodontal disease;
  • acute endodontic infection and pus discharge on the site itself and adjacent areas;
  • lack of mutually protected occlusion;
  • insufficient inter-occlusal clearance (\<15 mm);
  • sites with an existing midfacial mucogingival recession/deficiency (scar tissue);
  • sites with a high-scalloped, thin biotype.
  • Sites with an intact or minimally damaged facial bone plate measuring greater than 1 mm in thickness;
  • +2 more criteria

Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.

Sponsors & Collaborators

Study Sites (2)

University of Illinois Chicago College of Dentistry

Chicago, Illinois, 60612, United States

Location

Indiana University School of Dentistry

Indianapolis, Indiana, 46202, United States

Location

Related Publications (14)

  • Lambert, F., & Hamilton, A. (2023). Immediate Implant Placement and Loading - Single or Multiple Teeth Requiring Replacement (ITI Treatment Guide Series, Vol. 14). Quintessence Publishing.

    BACKGROUND
  • Kuza CM, Matsushima K, Mack WJ, Pham C, Hourany T, Lee J, Tran TD, Dudaryk R, Mulder MB, Escanelle MA, Ogunnaike B, Ahmed MI, Luo X, Eastman A, Imran JB, Melikman E, Minhajuddin A, Feeler A, Urman RD, Salim A, Spencer D, Gabriel V, Ramakrishnan D, Nahmias JT. The role of the American Society of anesthesiologists physical status classification in predicting trauma mortality and outcomes. Am J Surg. 2019 Dec;218(6):1143-1151. doi: 10.1016/j.amjsurg.2019.09.019. Epub 2019 Sep 24.

    PMID: 31575418BACKGROUND
  • de Grandmont P, Feine JS, Tache R, Boudrias P, Donohue WB, Tanguay R, Lund JP. Within-subject comparisons of implant-supported mandibular prostheses: psychometric evaluation. J Dent Res. 1994 May;73(5):1096-104. doi: 10.1177/00220345940730051201.

    PMID: 8006237BACKGROUND
  • Slade GD. Derivation and validation of a short-form oral health impact profile. Community Dent Oral Epidemiol. 1997 Aug;25(4):284-90. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0528.1997.tb00941.x.

    PMID: 9332805BACKGROUND
  • Tonetti MS, Greenwell H, Kornman KS. Staging and grading of periodontitis: Framework and proposal of a new classification and case definition. J Clin Periodontol. 2018 Jun;45 Suppl 20:S149-S161. doi: 10.1111/jcpe.12945.

    PMID: 29926495BACKGROUND
  • Academy of Osseointegration. 2010 Guidelines of the Academy of Osseointegration for the provision of dental implants and associated patient care. Int J Oral Maxillofac Implants. 2010 May-Jun;25(3):620-7. No abstract available.

    PMID: 20653117BACKGROUND
  • Li Y, Qiao SC, Gu YX, Zhang XM, Shi JY, Lai HC. A novel semiautomatic segmentation protocol to evaluate guided bone regeneration outcomes: A pilot randomized, controlled clinical trial. Clin Oral Implants Res. 2019 Apr;30(4):344-352. doi: 10.1111/clr.13420. Epub 2019 Mar 27.

    PMID: 30854705BACKGROUND
  • Furhauser R, Florescu D, Benesch T, Haas R, Mailath G, Watzek G. Evaluation of soft tissue around single-tooth implant crowns: the pink esthetic score. Clin Oral Implants Res. 2005 Dec;16(6):639-44. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0501.2005.01193.x.

    PMID: 16307569BACKGROUND
  • Golmayo P, Barallat L, Losada M, Valles C, Nart J, Pascual-La Rocca A. Keratinized tissue gain after free gingival graft augmentation procedures around teeth and dental implants: A prospective observational study. J Clin Periodontol. 2021 Feb;48(2):302-314. doi: 10.1111/jcpe.13394. Epub 2020 Nov 18.

    PMID: 33098670BACKGROUND
  • Fernandes D, Nunes S, Lopez-Castro G, Marques T, Montero J, Borges T. Effect of customized healing abutments on the peri-implant linear and volumetric tissue changes at maxillary immediate implant sites: A 1-year prospective randomized clinical trial. Clin Implant Dent Relat Res. 2021 Oct;23(5):745-757. doi: 10.1111/cid.13044. Epub 2021 Aug 22.

    PMID: 34423560BACKGROUND
  • Finelle G, Popelut A, Knafo B, Martin IS. Sealing Socket Abutments (SSAs) in Molar Immediate Implants with a Digitalized CAD/CAM Protocol: Soft Tissue Contour Changes and Radiographic Outcomes After 2 Years. Int J Periodontics Restorative Dent. 2021 Mar-Apr;41(2):235-244. doi: 10.11607/prd.4579.

    PMID: 33819330BACKGROUND
  • Menchini-Fabris GB, Crespi R, Toti P, Crespi G, Rubino L, Covani U. A 3-year retrospective study of fresh socket implants: CAD/CAM customized healing abutment vs cover screws. Int J Comput Dent. 2020;23(2):109-117.

    PMID: 32555764BACKGROUND
  • Ravinder R, Dubey P, Raj S, Mishra P, Rajput A. Immediate implant placement in posterior maxilla: a prospective clinical study. J Osseointegr. 2021;13(4):185-90.

    BACKGROUND
  • Ragucci GM, Elnayef B, Criado-Camara E, Del Amo FS, Hernandez-Alfaro F. Immediate implant placement in molar extraction sockets: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Int J Implant Dent. 2020 Oct 13;6(1):40. doi: 10.1186/s40729-020-00235-5.

    PMID: 32770283BACKGROUND

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Tooth Loss

Interventions

Dental Implants

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Periodontal DiseasesMouth DiseasesStomatognathic DiseasesTooth Diseases

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Dental MaterialsBiomedical and Dental MaterialsDental ProsthesisProsthodonticsDentistryProstheses and ImplantsEquipment and SuppliesManufactured MaterialsTechnology, Industry, and Agriculture

Study Officials

  • Luis Mezzomo, PhD

    University of Illinois at Chicago

    PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
  • Waldemar Polido, PhD

    Indiana University

    PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Central Study Contacts

Luis Mezzomo, PhD

CONTACT

Megan Dietrich, Research Coordinator

CONTACT

Study Design

Study Type
interventional
Phase
not applicable
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Masking
SINGLE
Who Masked
PARTICIPANT
Masking Details
Surgeon
Purpose
TREATMENT
Intervention Model
PARALLEL
Model Details: This is a prospective, randomized, controlled, parallel-group interventional study evaluating an anatomical prefabricated healing abutment compared with a conventional healing abutment in patients undergoing immediate implant placement after tooth extraction. Participants will be randomly assigned to receive either the anatomical prefabricated healing abutment (experimental group) or the conventional healing abutment (control group). Both groups will undergo the same implant placement procedures and will be followed for 12 months. The study aims to determine whether the anatomical prefabricated healing abutment improves preservation of peri-implant soft tissue contours and volume compared with the conventional approach. Clinical examinations, digital intraoral scans, three-dimensional tissue analysis, radiographic evaluations, and implant-related measurements will be used to assess outcomes. The parallel-group design enables a direct comparison between the two treatment approaches.
Sponsor Type
OTHER
Responsible Party
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
PI Title
Clinical Associate Professor

Study Record Dates

First Submitted

July 14, 2026

First Posted

July 27, 2026

Study Start (Estimated)

September 1, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

March 1, 2028

Study Completion (Estimated)

September 1, 2028

Last Updated

July 27, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-07

Data Sharing

IPD Sharing
Will share

De-identified individual participant data (IPD) underlying the published study results will be shared. The dataset will include participant demographics, baseline clinical characteristics, treatment allocation, implant-related variables, clinical measurements, three-dimensional digital intraoral scan measurements of peri-implant soft tissue contour and volume, radiographic measurements of hard tissue changes, implant position accuracy, implant stability, adverse events, and follow-up data. All direct identifiers will be removed before data sharing, and each participant will be identified only by a unique study code. No information that could reasonably identify individual participants will be included.

Shared Documents
STUDY PROTOCOL, SAP, ICF, CSR, ANALYTIC CODE
Time Frame
Individual Participant Data (IPD) and supporting documentation will become available following publication of the primary study results or within 12 months after completion of the study, whichever occurs first. The data will remain available for up to 5 years after publication of the primary results. Start Date for IPD Sharing: December 2029 (or within 12 months after study completion/publication) End Date for IPD Sharing: December 2034
Access Criteria
Access to de-identified individual participant data (IPD) and supporting documents will be granted to qualified researchers for scientifically sound research that is consistent with the objectives of the original study. Investigators requesting access must submit a written research proposal describing the study objectives, planned analyses, and statistical methods. Requests will be reviewed by the study investigators to assess scientific merit, ethical considerations, participant confidentiality, and feasibility. Approved investigators may be required to sign a Data Use Agreement (DUA) before receiving access. Data will be provided in a de-identified electronic format through secure institutional file transfer. Supporting documents, including the study protocol, statistical analysis plan, informed consent form, clinical study report, and analytic code, will be made available under the same conditions.

Locations