Bone loss around an implant is an inevitable occurrence, mostly occurring during the first year of function. Various modifications have been tried to reduce this bone loss, one of them being Platform switching (PS). Present study compared the bone loss and MMP-8 levels in PISF between Platform Matched (PM) and Platform Switched (PS) implants using same implant geometry and surgical protocols and loading mechanisms in all patients. 50 implants of diameter 4.6 mm were placed crestally in selected patients. After 3 months, 25 implants were restored with platform matched abutment (Group A) and 25 with platform switched abutment (Group B). Bone loss was evaluated radiographically and MMP-8 levels were assessed in peri-implant sulcus fluid and gingival crevicular fluid of adjacent tooth by ELISA, at the time of prosthetic loading(baseline) and again after one year of loading. Prosthetic phase bone loss was calculated by subtracting baseline loss from total bone loss.After 1 year of loading, the total bone loss in platform matched group was 1.29 ± 0.39 mm and platform switched group was 1.31 ± 0.38 mm. Prosthetic phase bone loss (0.41 ± 0.14 mm and 0.48 ± 0.24 mm) and MMP-8 levels (83.6 ± 26.1 ng/ml and 78.4 ± 27.2 ng/ml) were insignificantly different between the two groups. MMP-8 levels were significantly higher in peri-implant sulcus fluid than gingival crevicular fluid in all patients at both stages. MMP-8 levels significantly correlated with bone loss. In the present study, altering the abutment diameter did not influence the extent of bone resorption within similar clinical and treatment protocols of implant supported restorations.
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