Statement of problem: Although high success rates have been reported with immediately loaded implants, the peri-implant tissue response has not been well documented.
Purpose: This study evaluated implant success and peri-implant tissue response of immediately loaded, threaded, hydroxyapatite (HA)-coated root-form implants supporting mandibular bar overdentures with opposing conventional maxillary complete dentures in humans.
Material and methods: Five patients (3 men, 2 women; mean age 61 years) each received 4 HA-coated endosseous root-form implants in the interforaminal region in the mandible. The implants were rigidly splinted with a metal framework within 24 hours. The final EDS clip prosthesis was placed 1 to 2 weeks thereafter. The implants and peri-implant tissues were evaluated clinically and radiographically 0, 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after prosthesis placement. Data were analyzed with a repeated measures 1-way analysis of variance (P<.05).
Results: All implants were stable at the end of the observation period (mean Periotest value = -5.9 +/- 1.4). No peri-implant radiolucencies were noted, and no implants were lost. The mean marginal bone changes were -0.42 plus minus 0.34, -0.84 +/- 0.55, -1.14 +/- 0.80, and -1.16 +/- 0.89 mm at the 1-, 3-, 6-, and 12-month follow-ups, respectively (P<.001). Significant declines in the rates of marginal bone changes at each time interval were noted (P<.001). In addition, there were significant decreases in probing depth (P<.001) and plaque index (P<.001) but no significant difference in the frequency of bleeding upon probing (P=.64).
Conclusion: Within the limitations of this study, the peri-implant tissue response of immediately loaded, HA-coated implants was favorable and comparable to that of conventional, delayed-loaded implants after 1 year.