Immediate loading of immediate mandibular implants with a full-arch fixed prosthesis: a preliminary study.

PURPOSE: To determine the survival of immediate dental implants with immediate loading in the partially edentulous mandible, by use of a full-arch screw-retained provisional restoration.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients who were partially edentulous in the mandible with indications for extraction of the remaining teeth and with a minimum follow-up of 12 months after implant placement were included in the study. They were treated in chronologic order by the insertion of 6 Defcon dental implants (Impladent, Sentmenat, Spain) subjected to immediate loading (4 interforaminal and 2 posterior placements). Implants with a minimum primary stability of 60 implant stability quotient were loaded. All resin screw-retained prostheses were inserted and loaded with fully functional occlusion within 24 hours of implant placement.
RESULTS: Eleven patients were treated with immediate implants, although 2 patients were excluded from the study for having an implant stability quotient value below 60 in at least one of the implants after surgery and did not undergo restoration with immediate loading. Fifty-four implants were placed in 9 partially edentulous patients with immediate loading with a full-arch screw-fixed prosthesis. The patients wore this provisional prosthesis during the healing period (2 months) without complication and with a high level of comfort. The survival rate of the implants was 100% at 12 months of follow-up.
CONCLUSION: Immediate mandibular loading with immediate full-arch implant-supported and screw-retained restorations is a viable treatment alternative, yielding a 100% success rate in this small series of patients.