Platform switching: a reality on crestal bone preservation around dental implants: literature review

The current implant dentistry considers the loss of marginal bone tissue at the level of the first thread of osseointegrated implants ("ad modum" Branemark) as normal. In aesthetic areas and/or areas of small bone availability, such phenomenon impedes the cervical positioning of the soft tissue, the interproximal papilla contour, and reduces the surface of the implants for osseointegration. The concept of Platform Switching uses expanded platforms and narrower diameter prosthetic components that medialize the implant-abutment junction (IAJ). Thus, minimizing or eliminating bone loss. The purpose of this article is to expose this tool for preservation of the crestal bone of osseointegrated implants in a literature review.