Immediate Functional Loading: Results for the Concept of the Strategic Implant(®)

BACKGROUND: Immediate functional loading of one-piece dental implants has become an accepted treatment modality for fixed restorations in fully edentulous mandibles and maxillae. Nevertheless, studies regarding immediate loading procedures in extraction sites in both the jaws, as well as in segment reconstructions and single-tooth replacements, are limited. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the presently used protocol for immediate functional loading (within maximum 3 days) of one-piece implants which are placed according to the following methods as published by the IF. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This prospective cohort study included totally 87 consecutively treated patients who receive 1169 immediately loaded one-piece Strategic Implant(®), supporting fixed complete-arch maxillary or mandibular metal-ceramic bridges or segment reconstructions in both the jaws. All implants were placed by one treatment provider, who delivered also the prosthetics and controlled all cases himself over the years. Data were extracted by an experienced dentist from the patient records and from panoramic X-rays. A number of patients were interviewed at the end of the observation period. Although a total of 5100 implants were placed and observed for 12 – 57 months totally (with 105 implants out of these, having failed), this article reports the detailed results only for 1169 implants which have been followed for at least 48 months. RESULTS: Immediate functional loading of using multiple, cortically anchored basal screw implants as a support for fixed full-arch and segment prosthesis in the upper and lower jaw demonstrated a high cumulative implant survival rate after an observation period of up to 57 months. Neither hypertension nor diabetes and neither smoking nor bending of the implant's neck had an influence on the success of the implants observed in this study. Within the limits of this study (5100 Strategic Implants were observed over a period of up to 57 months), “peri-implantitis” was not observed at all. CONCLUSION: The treatment concept developed for the technology of the Strategic Implant® is safe and effective and it avoids bone augmentations and “peri-implantitis”.