With traditional protocols for restoring the loss of natural teeth with dental implants, many visits to the dentist and a total treatment time starting at 3 months and in some cases exceeding 12 months are required, especially in cases where bone and tissue regeneration techniques are necessary. When the patient’s condition allows it, immediate placement and immediate loading of implants offer the opportunity to shorten the time to complete the procedure and reduce the number of visits, with practical benefits for the patient.
What is immediate implant placement?
Immediate implant placement is a procedure in which the dental implant is placed at the same time as the extraction of the natural tooth during a single visit. Direct implant placement was first reported by Schulte and Heimke in 1976, and was called “immediate implant placement”. Over the years, the method has evolved and today has an extremely high success rate. Careful selection of the cases where it is appropriate to apply it, proper planning of the treatment steps and precise surgical placement of the implants are the three necessary factors to achieve predictable and aesthetic results.
What is immediate implant loading?
The immediate loading technique was developed in response to the increasing patient demand for faster treatment and completion of the procedure in a shorter time frame. Immediate loading is primarily aimed at people who, due to social or work commitments, do not wish to remain toothless for a long period of time or cannot tolerate the use of standard temporary prostheses placed for the period of time between implant placement and completion of osseointegration.
Immediate loading includes the placement of the final prosthetic work within 48 hours of implant placement. It can be applied if sufficient initial implant stability is achieved, measured by the implantologist with a mechanical or electronic device. The cumulative success rates of direct loading of implants after tooth extraction are 97% – 100%, as with traditional implantation methods.
The prosthetic work placed on implants for immediate loading requires special planning by the prosthodontist and takes into account factors such as bone density and the initial stability of the implant at placement, the number and position of the implants, the area of the mouth being restored, the condition of the residual barrier, any functional and parafunctional movements and contractions, etc.
While restoring missing teeth with either a socket or bridge supported on natural teeth or traditional dental implant protocols requires a few weeks to complete the procedure, the direct loading implant method requires only two 24-hour periods. The prosthetic work placed in some cases can be the final prosthetic work e.g. in posterior areas where there are no major aesthetic requirements. In areas where perfect aesthetics and perfectly adjusted dental contacts are prerequisites, an initial temporary – transitional prosthetic work is used. After the time required for the complete osseointegration of the implants, the permanent – final prosthetic work is fabricated, in which it is possible to correctly reproduce all specifications in colour, transparency and shape of the teeth, depending on the requirements of each patient.
A particularly sophisticated example of the use of immediate implant placement techniques and immediate loading of implants with a special prosthetic work is the All On 4 method, where a total restoration of the dental barrier is carried out. At the same time, all possible extractions required are carried out, the special dental implants are placed and the special fixed prosthetic work, which is completely aesthetic and functional, is placed directly.
Practical advantages and benefits for the patient
Immediate placement and immediate loading offer a number of benefits to the patient, including shorter treatment time and a significant reduction in the amount of time the patient is without teeth, as cosmetic prosthetic restorations are provided on the day of surgery. According to a 2014 study, patients preferred immediate placement of implants in the anterior jaw, compared to four other treatment protocols. Therefore, when clinically indicated, it can offer a suitable solution for a high level of patient satisfaction.
Immediate implant placement and loading are used with excellent predictability of success in clinical practice. In addition, in the case where bone grafting is required, immediate implant placement and loading reduces the need for multiple surgical procedures and complex procedures that would otherwise require an extended period of time to restore resorbed bone and replace missing teeth. The single-stage technique offers a simplified surgical workflow and subjects the patient to one surgery instead of two. The number of teeth to be restored does not matter, direct implant loading can be performed in the case of a single missing tooth or even multiple teeth by properly adjusting the prosthetic work that is fabricated for each case and using the appropriate type of implant.
With close cooperation between the implant surgeon, prosthodontist and dental laboratory, immediate implant placement and immediate loading can be an excellent solution for even the most demanding patient.
What is the procedure?
Diagnostic tests
Initially, the patient’s suitability for implant placement and whether the immediate loading technique is appropriate for their case must be examined. Dentists need to know the patient’s complete dental and medical history before performing various diagnostic tests. These tests include photographs, x-rays and a special CT scan (Dental CT Scan). The data from these tests will be analyzed as it is vital to assess the quality of the bone surrounding the dental implants.
The surgery
Using special digital technology, a 3D model of the jaw bones is made, on which a special surgical guide will be designed that will determine the position and angle of each implant with high precision.
Your surgeon will then insert the implant directly into the jawbone using this surgical guide. Your artificial teeth will be connected to the dental implant soon after the surgery is complete. The surgery to insert the implant is a fairly short procedure and is usually performed under local anesthesia.
Why choose us for immediate loading of your implants
Patients want and need safe and effective treatment that can be performed as quickly as possible and with as little pain and discomfort as possible. Immediate implant placement and loading are valuable techniques for dentists, but the skill and experience of the medical staff, as well as the expertise to determine a patient’s suitability for immediate implant placement and loading, are critical elements in ensuring successful long-term results. At our clinic in Glyfada, Athens, we have the necessary expertise and with our many years of experience in the placement of implants with immediate loading, we can provide you with a perfect smile in one day with a single surgery at an affordable cost. Contact us!
