Immediate occlusal loading of Osseotite implants in the completely edentulous mandible.
OBJECTIVE
This article reports the preliminary data from a clinical study of immediately loaded, full-arch, screw-retained prosthesis with distal extensions (hybrid prosthesis) supported by Osseotite implants placed in the edentulous mandible.


METHODS
Fifteen patients who received 103 implants were enrolled in this study. The first 2 patients received both immediately loaded and submerged implants, while the remaining patients had all implants immediately loaded. The first 9 patients received a temporary prosthesis within 4 hours of surgery, and the hybrid prosthesis, made of a titanium framework and acrylic resin teeth, was placed after 6 months. The last 6 patients received the same type of hybrid prosthesis within 36 hours of surgery. Marginal bone loss was monitored via periapical radiographs by a computerized technique.


RESULTS
One failure (out of the 92 immediately loaded implants) occurred after 3 weeks of function because of infection. A cumulative success rate of 98.9% was achieved for up to 48 months of follow-up, while the prosthetic cumulative success rate for the same period was 100%. Marginal bone loss at the immediately loaded implants was within the generally accepted conventional limits for standard delayed loading protocols.


CONCLUSIONS
This technique can reduce treatment time but should be applied with caution.


CONCLUSIONS
The preliminary results of this study suggest that rehabilitation of the edentulous mandible by an immediately loaded hybrid prosthesis supported by 5 to 6 implants may represent a viable alternative treatment to the classical delayed loading protocols.
Testori
Tiziano
T
University of Milan, Department of Odontology, Galeazzi Institute, Milan, Italy. tiziano.testori@tin.it
Del Fabbro
Massimo
M
Szmukler-Moncler
Serge
S
Francetti
Luca
L
Weinstein
Roberto L
RL
D000180:Acrylic Resins; D000368:Aged; D016301:Alveolar Bone Loss / Q000145:classification; D015921:Dental Implants; D019094:Dental Prosthesis, Implant-Supported; D019232:Dental Restoration Failure; D003779:Denture Design; D003826:Denture, Complete, Lower; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007575:Jaw, Edentulous / Q000534:rehabilitation / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008334:Mandible / Q000601:surgery*; D008875:Middle Aged; D014025:Titanium; D014093:Tooth, Artificial; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D016474:Weight-Bearing
D000180:Acrylic Resins; D015921:Dental Implants; D014025:Titanium