title: A 3-year report from a multicentre randomised controlled trial: immediately versus early loaded implants in partially edentulous patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare implant failure, prosthesis failure and radiographic bone level changes of immediate non-occlusal loading versus early loading in partially edentulous patients 3 years after implant placement.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 80 patients with partial edentulism were selected for a two implant-supported immediate restoration and randomised to immediate loading (test group) or early loading (control group) after 2 months, 40 patients for each group. To be included in the study, implants had to be inserted with a torque ≥ 30 Ncm. In the test group, implants were provided with non-occluding temporary restorations. In the control group, healing abutments were attached and implants were left to heal nonsubmerged. Definitive prostheses were delivered 2 months after surgery with full occlusal contacts. The outcome variables were implant failure, prosthesis failure, complications and radiographic bone level changes at implants 3 years after loading. The assessor was blinded to group assignment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eighty-one implants were immediately loaded and 80 were early loaded. Two immediately loaded patients and 1 early loaded patient dropped out at 3 years. No implant failed. Two complications occurred in the immediate loading group and 1 in the early loading group. There were no significant differences in bone levels changes at 36 months between the two groups (P = 0.67; difference 0.2 mm; 95% CI -0.23, 0.63). Immediately loaded implants lost 0.90 mm (95% CI 0.63, 1.17) and early loaded implants 1.10 mm (95% CI 0.81, 1.39).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  If adequate primary stability was achieved, no statistically significant difference in failure rates, complications or bone level changes between implants loaded immediately or early were observed 3 years after placement in partially edentulous patients.
authors.forename: Tommaso
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Grandi
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Guazzi
authors.forename: Rawad
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Samarani
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Grandi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016301:Alveolar Bone Loss / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology; D003758:Dental Implantation, Endosseous / Q000379:methods; D015921:Dental Implants; D017267:Dental Prosthesis Design; D019232:Dental Restoration Failure; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D057893:Immediate Dental Implant Loading / Q000009:adverse effects; D007576:Jaw, Edentulous, Partially / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011859:Radiography; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D019415:Torque
chemical_list: D015921:Dental Implants