A Prospective Study of Immediate Functional Loading, Following the Teeth in a Day™ Protocol: A Case Series of 55 Consecutive Edentulous Maxillas

BACKGROUND: Immediate loading of dental implants is increasingly gaining recognition as a viable option for both patient and clinician. PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the results of 55 patients in a clinical investigation of immediate functional loading of Brånemark System implants (Nobel Biocare USA, Yorba Linda, CA) in edentulous maxillas. Its further purpose is to suggest a reliable and evidence-based protocol for immediate implant loading of full-arch prostheses in the maxilla. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 552 Brånemark System implants were placed in immediate extraction or healed sites; a mean number of 10 implants were placed per patient. The healthy subjects in need of full-arch maxillary implant reconstruction were treated between December 1999 and February 2004; 522 of the 552 implants were immediately loaded with screw-retained all-acrylic fixed prostheses at the time of surgery. Approximately 4 to 6 months later, the 30 submerged implants were uncovered, and a definitive metal-reinforced prosthesis was delivered to each patient. RESULTS: The immediately loaded implant cumulative survival rate was 99.0% for these patients. The prosthesis survival rate was 100%. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this prospective study of full-arch maxillary immediate loading suggests that this protocol is suitable for most patients in need of full maxillary implant reconstruction. The protocol, as shown in this study, is highly successful in providing a lasting state of osseointegration as the foundation for long-term stability of screw-retained fixed prostheses.