A Scientometric Exploration of the Socket-shield Technique in Oral Implantology: Trends and Spatiotemporal Dynamics

Aim: The socket-shield technique arises from the efforts to stop the dimensional changes of the bone crest and gingival tissues. This technique consists of leaving a vestibular fragment of a naturally attached root with the purpose of keeping the crestal bone nourished through the periodontium. The aim of this research was to perform a scientometric analysis of the scientific production on the socket-shield technique in oral implantology. Materials and methods: A descriptive, observational study was carried out with a scientometric approach. A specialized search was performed, with variants of the keywords extracted from the Medical Subject Heading (MeSH) thesaurus of PubMed and the Embase thesaurus. For Web of Science (WOS) data, including only documents as original articles, reviews, and as sources corresponding to the subject. Production, trends, and impact indicators were performed. Results: During the study period 2000–2023, the scientific production of research increased in the last 3 years. The journal with the highest scientific production of research was “Clinical Oral Implant Research”, and the USA was found to be the dominant country in scientific production. Initially, the development of the research topic of interest was “tooth extraction and socket” between 2000 and 2015, and “dental implants and alveolar ridge preservation” between 2015 and 2023. Conclusion: The socket-shield technique in oral implantology is a growing field of research, with extensive international collaboration and significant impact in terms of citations. As this growth continues, we are likely to see even more advances and discoveries in this field. Clinical significance: The study on the socket-shield technique in oral implantology highlights its clinical importance by demonstrating that this technique can preserve crestal bone and gingival tissues, improving the stability, and esthetics of dental implants. In addition, its growing research and international collaboration underscore its relevance and potential for future innovations in the field.