Immediate loading of threaded implants at stage 1 surgery in edentulous arches: ten consecutive case reports with 1- to 5-year data.

Immediate loading of threaded implants with a fixed provisional restoration at stage 1 surgery was evaluated in 10 consecutive patients. The patients selected had to be completely edentulous and have adequate bone for a minimum of 10-mm-long implants. A minimum of 10 implants were placed in each patient's arch. A minimum of five implants were submerged initially for medicolegal reasons and allowed to heal without loading. The remaining implants were loaded the day of stage 1 surgery. Once the provisional restoration was relined, it was cemented or screw retained. A total of 107 implants were placed in these 10 patients; 6 had them placed in the mandible, and 4 in the maxilla. Six patients were treated with Nobel Biocare implants, one with ITI Bonefit implants, two with Astra Tech TiOblast implants, and one with a 31 implant. Sixty-seven of 69 implants that were loaded integrated, and 37 of 38 submerged implants integrated. All 10 patients have been restored with a definitive prosthesis, and all had a fixed provisional prosthesis from stage 1 surgery. The results of this study indicate that immediate loading of multiple implants rigidly splinted around a completely edentulous arch can be a viable treatment modality.