Influence of Timing of Implant Placement on Early Healing Molecular Events

Exclusion Criteria16

• Any known systemic disease severely affecting bone metabolism (e.g., Cushing's syndrome, Crohn's disease, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis or diabetes type I and uncontrolled diabetes type II).
• Self-reported HIV or viral hepatitis.
• Self-reported alcoholism or chronic drug abuse.
• Smokers (including current smokers or former smokers who had quit for \< 3 months); patients reporting use of vape/e-cigarettes will also be excluded.
• Self-reported pregnancy or lactation (this criterion is due to oral tissue changes related to pregnancy and nursing, which can affect interpretation of study results).
• Chronic treatment (i.e., 2 weeks or more) with any medication known to affect oral status or bone metabolism (e.g., bisphosphonates, hormone replacement therapy, immunosuppressants) within 1 month before baseline visit.
• Chronic treatment with anticoagulants (including Aspirin), corticosteroids, immunosuppressants or other medications that may influence blood coagulation/count.
• Antibiotic or anti-inflammatory therapy during the month preceding the baseline exam.
• Untreated caries lesions and untreated/uncontrolled periodontal disease; If patients require periodontal treatment (non-surgical and/or surgical), this will be arranged outside the study protocol and completed prior to enrolment;
• Inadequate keratinized tissue width (\<2 mm) in the mid-buccal aspect of the area to be treated in the study.
• Physical handicaps that would interfere with the ability to perform adequate oral hygiene in the area of implant placement.
• Patients requiring maxillary sinus lift surgery before implant placement.
• Self-reported bruxism.
• Patients not willing to receive animal-derived biomaterials for GBR.
• Patients suffering from a known psychological disorder or with limited mental capacity or language skills such that study information could not be understood, informed consent could not be obtained, or simple instructions could not be followed.
• Other severe acute or chronic medical or psychiatric condition or laboratory abnormality that may increase the risk associated with trial participation or may interfere with the interpretation of trial results and, in the judgement of the investigator, would make the subject inappropriate for entry into this trial.