Methodological Validation of the PIROP Ultrasound-Based System for Measuring Peri-Implant Soft Tissue Thickness in a Clinical Setting

TL;DR

This study validates a non-invasive ultrasound system for measuring soft tissue thickness around dental implants, showing it is reliable and comparable to direct clinical measurements.

Contribution

The study provides methodological validation of the PIROP ultrasound system for peri-implant soft tissue thickness measurement in clinical settings.

Findings

The PIROP ultrasound system showed small relative differences compared to direct clinical measurements.

The system demonstrated good agreement with a reference method, with ICC values of 0.86–0.88.

It is a reliable non-invasive alternative for longitudinal clinical studies.

Abstract

Background/Objectives: Accurate and reproducible assessment of peri-implant soft tissue thickness is an important methodological aspect of contemporary implant dentistry, particularly in longitudinal studies evaluating soft tissue dimensions. While ultrasound-based techniques offer a non-invasive and quantitative approach, their validity in peri-implant settings remains insufficiently documented. The objective of this study was to validate the PIROP ultrasound-based system for measuring peri-implant soft tissue thickness by comparing it with a direct clinical reference method. Methods: Peri-implant soft tissue thickness was assessed at 40 planned implant sites at two predefined time points: prior to surgical incision and three months after closed healing. Measurements obtained using the PIROP ultrasound-based system were directly compared with measurements performed following surgical incision using a calibrated periodontal probe. Results: Overall, the relative differences between ultrasound-based and direct clinical measurements were small, indicating comparable performance under standardized clinical conditions. The PIROP ultrasound-based system demonstrated good agreement with the reference method, with high intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC = 0.86–0.88). Conclusions: Within the limitations of this methodological validation study, ultrasound-based assessment demonstrated good agreement with direct clinical measurements, supporting its use as a reliable, non-invasive, and quantitative measurement approach in clinical studies and longitudinal designs requiring repeated evaluation of peri-implant soft tissue thickness.

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