Clinical and radiographic evaluation of immediately loaded one-piece implants placed into fresh extraction sockets.

OBJECTIVE: To assess clinical survival and success rates of one-piece implants placed at the time of tooth extraction with immediate provisionalization and to evaluate radiographic peri-implant bone loss around one-piece implants 1 year after functional loading.

METHOD AND MATERIALS: Forty-six patients (20 men and 26 women) with a mean age of 45.5 years (range, 24 to 74 years) were recruited from four centers for this case series report. Immediately following the extraction of untreatable teeth, all patients received one-piece implants. The implants were immediately restored and placed into function with no occlusal contact. Outcome assessments included clinical and radiographic evaluations.

RESULTS: Of the one-piece implants placed after extraction in the maxilla and mandible, 95.7% integrated successfully. The mean marginal bone loss after 1 year was 0.80 mm (SD, 0.53 mm). Overall peri-implant bone loss at maxillary sites was compared with overall bone loss at mandibular sites. At the 1-year follow-up, no statistically significant difference was found. The deeper the implants were placed below the crest, the more marginal bone loss was observed. However, no difference in marginal bone loss was observed as a consequence of the following three variables: implant length (10, 11.5, or 13 mm), implant diameter (3, 3.7, or 4.7 mm); and 3- and 6-month time periods after implant prosthesis placement.

CONCLUSION: Based on data obtained from this sample size study, it can be concluded that one-piece implants can be successfully placed immediately after extraction with minimal peri-implant bone loss.