Immediate Loading of Anterior Single-Tooth Implants Placed in Healed Sites: Five-Year Results of a Randomized Clinical Trial.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to compare the 5-year outcome of immediate loading with that of conventional loading for anterior single-tooth implants placed in healed sites. It was hypothesized that immediate loading is not inferior to conventional loading.


METHODS
A total of 62 patients with a missing maxillary anterior tooth were included. At random, patients were treated with an implant that was restored either with a nonoccluding temporary crown within 24 hours after implant placement (immediate group) or according to a two-stage procedure after 3 months (conventional group). All implants were placed in healed sites. Follow-up visits were performed after definitive crown delivery and 1 and 5 years thereafter. Outcome measures were radiographic marginal bone level changes, implant survival, complications, soft tissue aspects (probing depth, plaque, bleeding, soft tissue level changes), esthetic outcome, and patient satisfaction.


RESULTS
Three patients in each study group were lost to follow-up. No significant differences were found in terms of marginal bone loss (1.16 ± 0.93 mm in the immediate group and 1.20 ± 1.10 mm in the conventional group), survival (one implant lost in the immediate group), complications, soft tissue aspects, esthetic outcome, and patient satisfaction.


CONCLUSIONS
For anterior single-tooth implants placed in healed sites, the outcome of immediate loading is not inferior to conventional loading.
Laurens
L
den Hartog
Gerry M
GM
Raghoebar
Kees
K
Stellingsma
Arjan
A
Vissink
Henny Ja
HJ
Meijer
D016301:Alveolar Bone Loss; D003442:Crowns; D003758:Dental Implantation, Endosseous; D019250:Dental Implants, Single-Tooth; D019094:Dental Prosthesis, Implant-Supported; D004955:Esthetics, Dental; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D057893:Immediate Dental Implant Loading; D014081:Tooth Extraction; D016896:Treatment Outcome