If the septum is basically intact, a 5.3x12 bone-level implant is placed there, in an ideal trajectory for restoration (Fig.3).  The mesial and distal margin of the implant is at the level of the alveolar crests (arrows); bone graft is placed evenly to cover the coronal threads (red circles).  The septum is usually 1-3 mm more apical than the crest. If the septum is defective to some degree, a longer implant is placed distally (Fig.4) with more bone graft placed distally.

Bone vs. Gingival Level Implants

Xin Wei, DDS, PhD, MS 1st edition 01/01/2015, last revision 01/01/2015