Evaluation of Clinical and Radiographic Outcomes Associated with Dental Implants Subjected t with Dental Implants Subjected to Different Loading Pr ent Loading Protocols

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the clinical and radiographic outcomes associated with dental implants subjected to different loading protocols in  the posterior maxillary region.

Patients and methods: This clinical study included 16 implants placed in patients seeking the rehabilitation  of single/multiple teeth in  the posterior maxillary region. The patients were distributed randomly into three groups according to the loading protocol; the first  group received four implants subjected to conventional loading protocol, the second group received six implants subjected to early  loading protocol, additionally the third group received six implants subjected to immediate loading protocol. The evaluation was done  immediately after crown cementation (T1), and after 6 months (T2) and 12 months (T3) to assess implant stability and marginal bone level  and bone loss around the implants.

Results: This study included 14 patients with an average age of 34.79 ± 9.17 years. There were no statistically significant differences  between studied groups regarding age, sex, implant position, length, and width (P ¼ 0.642, P ¼ 0.260, P ¼ 0.822, P ¼ 0.053, and P ¼ 0.317,  respectively). There were no statistically significant differences between studied groups regarding stability at different follow-up periods  (P ¼ 0.06 at T1, P ¼ 0.07 at T2, P ¼ 0.150 at T3). However, there were significant differences between group 1 versus group 2 at T1 and T2  (P ¼ 0.018, P ¼ 0.028), respectively. Regarding mean bone loss, there were statistically significant differences between studied groups  specifically T2 from T1 (P ¼ 0.01) and T3 from T1 (P < 0.001).

Conclusions: Earlier loading positively enhances osseointegration around immediately loaded and early-loaded implants when  compared with conventionally loaded dental implants. On the other hand, greater bone loss was observed with immediately loaded and  early-loaded implants than with conventionally loaded implants.