Abstract:

Objective

To compare the clinical outcomes of immediate and conventional loaded blade-threaded implants placed in premolar sites.

Methods

This study was designed as a prospective randomized clinical trial.A total of 30 patients with premolars missing and treated with 30 blade-threaded implants from March to August in 2023 were divided into immediate or conventional loading group randomizedly.The immediate loading group was restored provisionally within five days after implant placement with an insertion torque more than 50 N·cm，and the conventional loading group was restored three months later.The implant success rate，implant stability quotien，marginal bone loss，peri-implant soft tissue and complications were recorded and evaluated at three different timepoints，i.e.，implant placement，three months later and one year later.Two-sample t-test was used to analyze the inter-group data.

Results

During the one-year follow up period，no patient dropped out and no implant failed.The mean implant stability quotien（ISQ）values were（83.4±1.6）and（82.7±2.1）for immediate and conventional loading group，repectively，and there was no significant difference（t = 1.551，P = 0.143）.The mean marginal bone loss was（0.67±0.39）mm in the immediate loading group，which was slightly higher than that of the conventional loading group（0.42±0.38）mm without statistical difference（t=1.760，P=0.089）.Peri-implant soft tissue and complications were similar except for the proximal contact loss between the two groups.Gigival index of the immediate and conventional group was（0.35 ± 0.32）and（0.33 ± 0.49），respectively，without significant difference（t=1.228，P=0.268）.Plaque index of the two groups was（0.42±0.30）and（0.33±0.35），without significant difference（t=1.463，P=0.154）.Probing depth of the two groups was（2.49±0.64）and（2.43±0.53）mm，without significant difference（t=1.362，P=0.183）.Proximal contact loss was observed in four patients in the conventional loading group.

Conclusions

Within the limitations of this study，the present data seemed to support the hypothesis that the clinical outcomes of the immediate and conventional loaded blade-threaded implants in the premolar sites were comparable.Digital technique and blade-threaded implants could facilitate the immediate loading protocol.

Key words: Dental implants, Immediate loading, Conventional loading, Single-tooth implants