Marginal Bone Response Around Tapered Implants with Split Coronal Microthreads: An Evergreen Clinical Brief

Introduction 

Marginal bone stability still anchors long-term success in dental implants. A retrospective field study on Alpha-Bio Tec’s ICE™ implants offers durable, timeless lessons about bone behavior around tapered fixtures with split coronal microthreads—insights that remain relevant regardless of product iterations or market trends.

Preoperative context and planning What the Study Looked At (and Why It Matters)

Across three private clinics in Israel, clinicians evaluated 238 ICE implants placed in 96 adults in good systemic and dental health. Standardized digital periapical radiographs were taken at placement (baseline) and again at 12 and 24 months, with an independent examiner measuring mesial and distal marginal bone levels using ImageJ software; values were averaged per implant.

Key design details to keep in mind when interpreting outcomes: ICE implants feature an apical tapered body and a back-tapered coronal portion with split microthreads. Those elements are central to this study’s question about bone behavior adjacent to the crest.

Headline Outcomes (24-Month FollowUp)

• Survival: 231/238 implants remained in function at 24 months (97%); seven were lost to peri-implantitis (2.9%).
• Marginal bone level change: Mean change was 0.35 mm mesial / 0.32 mm distal at 12 months, and 0.40 mm mesial & distal at 24 months. The additional change between year one and year two averaged 0.065 mm.

These figures supply a measured, clinically useful baseline for tapered, split-microthreaded implants in routine practice conditions.

 Dimensions That Influenced Bone Change

Two dimensional factors stood out:

1. Diameter (4.2 mm vs 3.75 mm): At 12 months, wider implants showed less bone loss; by 24 months, the 4.2 mm group showed more bone loss than 3.75 mm. This toggle underlines why follow-up beyond year one matters when counseling patients and planning maintenance.
2. Length: Short implants (≤10 mm) showed higher bone loss at 24 months. For cases where vertical availability is constrained, this signals the value of meticulous occlusal planning and supportive maintenance to protect crestal bone.

  Conclusion  

Across typical private-practice settings, tapered implants with split coronal microthreads showed high 24-month survival and low mean marginal bone level loss, with nuanced effects from diameter and length.

Tap into the education and resource center to standardize measurement and maintenance workflows across your team. For clinicians working with Alpha-Bio Tec systems, the broader portfolio includes implants such as ICE™, SPIRAL™, MultiNeO™, and NICE™, along with surgical kits, prosthetics, and digital options. Educational support (academy resources, webinars, and a resource center) is a core brand pillar—useful for onboarding teams to measurement and maintenance routines discussed above.  

Learn more about the Alpha-Bio Tec. solutions here: Alpha-Bio Tec Academy.