Socket Shield Technique in Implants: A Futuristic Dentistry

Whilst the socket-shield technique potentially offers promising outcomes, reducing the need for invasive bone grafts around implants in the aesthetic zone, clinical data to support this is very limited. Within the limitations of this descriptive study, the socket shield technique offers reduced invasiveness at the time of surgery and high esthetic outcomes with effective preservation of facial tissue contours. This technique should not be used in routine clinical practice until a higher level evidence in the form of prospective clinical trials is available. At this stage, it is unclear whether the socket-shield technique will provide a stable long-time outcome. Hence, caution is advised at this stage when using the socket-shield technique in routine dental practice. Clinicians are advised to exercise best clinical judgement when considering to use the socket-shield technique for treatment. Further clinical studies, preferably prospective randomised controlled clinical trials involving power analysis to determine an adequate cohort size to inform statistical interpretation which would allow conclusions to be drawn, are desirable.