Immediate postextraction implant placement with immediate loading for maxillary full-arch rehabilitation A two-year retrospective analysis

Background. There are few studies in the literature regarding immediate postextraction implant placement with immediate loading in the maxilla. These studies have only small cohorts. Therefore, the authors conducted a retrospective study to help fill this knowledge gap. Methods. Between January 2001 and January 2009, 65 participants (32 women, 33 men) with an average age of 60.5 years (age range, 43-83 years) received 334 dental implants, which were placed in postextraction sockets and loaded immediately. The follow-up period for this retrospective study was two years. Results. All prostheses were stable, and only seven implants failed during the follow-up, for a 100 percent prosthetic survival rate and a 97.9 percent implant survival rate at two years. The mean (standard deviation) implant bone level measured 0.50 (0.27) millimeter at insertion, 1.90 (0.51) mm at one year and 2.06 (0.49) mm at two years. Conclusions. The results of this retrospective study showed that the survival rate of immediately loaded postextraction implants is comparable with that reported for traditional delayed implants in the maxilla. Clinical Implications. Immediate loading of four to six implants placed in extraction sockets may be a valid way to treat the edentulous maxilla.