Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2025 Dec 18;17(12):e99525.
doi: 10.7759/cureus.99525. eCollection 2025 Dec.

Effects of Oral and Maxillofacial Trauma on Soft Tissue Esthetic Outcomes of Dental Implants: A Systematic Review

Ali Y Alameri  1 , Sarah F Altukruni  2 , Mahdi Saileek  3 , Ali A Alrakah  2 , Abdullah Khalid A Alhamwan  4 , Dhaifallah I Alzahrani  5 , Alaa A Alsubki  6 , Laila Alanaz  7
Affiliations
Review

Effects of Oral and Maxillofacial Trauma on Soft Tissue Esthetic Outcomes of Dental Implants: A Systematic Review

Ali Y Alameri et al. Cureus. .

Abstract

Oral and maxillofacial trauma frequently results in the loss of anterior teeth and disruption of the surrounding soft and hard tissues, creating significant challenges for implant rehabilitation in esthetically sensitive areas. Achieving stable peri-implant soft tissue contours is essential for long-term esthetic success, yet the influence of prior trauma on soft tissue outcomes remains unclear. This systematic review evaluated the impact of oral and maxillofacial trauma on esthetic soft tissue parameters following implant placement. Electronic searches of PubMed, Google Scholar, ScienceDirect, and the Cochrane Library were conducted up to May 2025 following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Five observational studies met the inclusion criteria, comprising a total of 163 patients treated predominantly in the anterior maxilla with immediate or delayed implant protocols. Soft tissue outcomes were assessed using parameters such as midfacial mucosal recession, papilla height, and the Pink Esthetic Score (PES). Overall, implants placed in traumatized sites demonstrated favorable esthetic results comparable to non-traumatized cases when appropriate bone augmentation, soft tissue management, and implant positioning were applied. Immediate placement with grafting provided stable soft tissue contours in post-traumatic cases, while long-term studies reported sustained soft tissue stability over 10 to 12 years. Despite positive outcomes, evidence remains limited by small sample sizes, heterogeneity in trauma types and assessment methods, and a lack of standardized aesthetic evaluation. Current findings suggest that oral and maxillofacial trauma does not inherently compromise soft tissue esthetic outcomes of implant therapy, though well-designed prospective studies are needed to clarify the role of trauma-related factors and optimize treatment protocols.

Keywords: dental implants; esthetics; maxillofacial trauma; oral trauma; pink esthetic score (pes); soft tissue outcomes.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of interest: In compliance with the ICMJE uniform disclosure form, all authors declare the following: Payment/services info: All authors have declared that no financial support was received from any organization for the submitted work. Financial relationships: All authors have declared that they have no financial relationships at present or within the previous three years with any organizations that might have an interest in the submitted work. Other relationships: All authors have declared that there are no other relationships or activities that could appear to have influenced the submitted work.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. PRISMA flowchart showing the study selection process
PRISMA: Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Oral rehabilitation in a patient with major maxillofacial trauma: a case management. Tuna EB, Ozgen M, Cankaya AB, Sen C, Gencay K. Case Rep Dent. 2012;2012:267143. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Prosthetic, orthodontic and implant-supported rehabilitation of five maxillary anterior teeth with alveolar bone loss. Guariza-Filho O, Araujo CM, Schroder AG, Tanaka OM, Kern R, Ruellas AC. Dental Press J Orthod. 2018;23:87–96. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Advanced implant-prosthetic rehabilitation: how to obtain a correct restoration of both functions and aesthetics in patients with complex combined dental and maxillofacial trauma: a case report and topical review of the literature. Figliuzzi MM, Giudice A, Fortunato L. Case Rep Dent. 2017;2017:7146126. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Peri-implant soft tissue management: Cairo opinion consensus conference. Del Amo FS, Yu SH, Sammartino G, et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020;17:2281. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Periodontal, functional, and esthetic integration of peri-implant soft tissue: WHS concept. Lysov A, Saadoun AP. J Oral Implantol. 2022;48:0–8. - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources