Immediate versus conventional loading implants with fixed prosthesis - A clinical and radiological study

The success of dental implants is influenced by the timing of prosthetic loading. Therefore, it is of interest to compare the clinical and radiological outcomes of immediate loading (IL) versus conventional loading (CL) of dental implants supporting fixed prostheses. Hence, a total of 30 patients were randomly assigned to either IL or CL groups. Clinical parameters such as implant stability (measured by Periotest), peri-implant soft tissue health and radiographic marginal bone loss (MBL) were evaluated over a 12-month period. Results indicated that both groups demonstrated high implant survival rates (96.6% IL vs 100% CL), with no statistically significant differences in MBL at 3, 6 and 12 months (p > 0.05). However, IL provided faster functional rehabilitation and patient satisfaction. Thus, we show the clinical viability of immediate loading protocols in appropriately selected cases, without compromising implant stability or bone levels.