# The Effect of Different Socket Types on Implant Therapy While Using Flapless Ridge Preservation
## 3 Results
### Maximillary Implants  
The association of the baseline conditions and extraction socket classification of the 53 maxillary implants is presented in Table 1. No significant difference was observed among the four-socket classes (I-IV) in terms of age at dental implant placement, age at extraction (year), smoking habits, and systemic diseases. Sex was significantly associated with socket classification (\(p=0.008\)): the proportion of males in the Class III socket group was significantly higher than that in the Class I socket group (78.6% vs. 16.7%, \(p=0.003\)).  
The association of the socket classification and implant site development for the maxillary teeth is presented in Table 2. Socket classification was significantly associated with the materials and methods used (\(p=0.008\)): the proportion of Class IV sockets prepared by method B2 was significantly higher than that of Class III sockets (66.7% vs. 3.6%, \(p<0.001\)). Socket classification was also significantly associated with extraction aetiology (\(p<0.001\)): the proportion of cases that had periodontitis as aetiology was significantly higher in Class III sockets than in Class I and II sockets (82.1% vs. 16.7% and 31.3%, both \(p=0.001\)). Socket classification was significantly associated with total treatment time (\(p=0.004\)): among the four groups, implants placed in Class III sockets had the longest total treatment time (median of 19.0 months), followed by those placed in Class II sockets (median of 15.9 months). Implants placed in the above two classes of sockets needed significantly longer treatment time than those placed in Class IV sockets (medians of 19.0 and 15.9 months, respectively, vs. 14.0 months, with \(p=0.008\) and 0.007, respectively, by the non-parametric Mann-Whitney test). No significant association of socket classification with implant site (upper molar [UM]/non-UM regions), bone density, bone re-grafting, primary stability, implant survival, the period from extraction to stage I surgery, and the period from stage I surgery to final prosthesis placement was observed.  
\begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c c c c} \hline \hline  & & \multicolumn{4}{c}{**Socket Classification**} \\ \cline{3-6}  & & **I** & **II** & **III** & **IV** \\  & **(_n = 6_)** & **(_n = 16_)** & **(_n = 28_)** & **(_n = 3_)** & \\ \hline Age at dental implant (years) & 46.6 (13.4) & 50.8 (10.8) & 51.9 (10.0) & 61.6 (14.2) & 0.280 \\ Age at extraction (years) & 46.3 (13.4) & 50.5 (10.8) & 51.5 (10.0) & 61.2 (14.3) & 0.286 \\ Female & 5 (83.3\%) & 8 (50.0\%) & 6 (21.4\%) & 0 & 0.008 * \\ Sex & Male & 1 (16.7\%) & 8 (50.0\%) & 22 (78.6\%) * & 3 (100.0\%) & \\ Smoking & Non-smoker & 5 (83.3\%) & 14 (87.5\%) & 18 (64.3\%) & 3 (100.0\%) & 0.283 \\ Former smoker & 1 (16.7\%) & 2 (12.5\%) & 10 (35.7\%) & 0 & \\ Healthy & 5 (83.3\%) & 10 (62.5\%) & 12 (42.9\%) & 1 (33.3\%) & 0.075 \\ Systemic diseases & Diabetes mellitus & 0 & 0 & 1 (3.6\%) & 0 & \\ Osteoporosis & 1 (16.7\%) & 0 & 0 & 0 & \\ Other diseases & 0 & 6 (37.5\%) & 15 (53.6\%) & 2 (66.7\%) & \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular}
* Indicates \(p<0.05\); a significant difference is observed among the four-socket classes I-IV.
* The male proportion with Class III is significantly higher than that with Class I (\(p=0.003\)).  
\end{table}
Table 1: Association of patients’ characteristics and socket classification for maxillary implants with flapless ridge preservation.