A Radiographic and Clinical Comparison of Immediate vs. Early Loading (4 Weeks) of Implants with a New Thermo-Chemically Treated Surface: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Background: Implant dentistry has evolved over time, resulting in better treatment outcomes for both patients and clinicians. The aim of this trial was to test whether the immediate loading of implants with a platform-switching design influences the marginal bone level, compared to four-week loading, after one year of follow-up. Moreover, a comparison of clinical data regarding implant survival, implant stability, and patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) was conducted. Methods: Klockner® VEGA® implants with a ContacTi® surface were placed in partially edentulous patients in the posterior areas. Group A received an immediately loaded prosthesis (one week) and Group B received an early-loaded prosthesis (four weeks). All abutments were placed at the time of surgery. Radiographic and clinical data were recorded. Results: Twenty-one patients were treated (35 implants). No implants were lost during the study. The final marginal bone level did not show differences between groups. The bone loss at 12 months at the implant level was 0.00 mm for both groups (median). The final implant quotient stability (ISQ) values did not differ between groups (median 73 and 70.25), nor did the other clinical parameters or PROMs. Conclusions: The results suggest that neither of the loading protocols with the implants used influenced the marginal bone level-not the osseointegration rate, clinical conditions, or PROMs.

A Non-Interventional Study Documenting Use and Success of Tissue Level Implants.

Numerous randomised controlled multicentric studies have investigated various responses to different treatment modalities with dental implants. These studies do not always show the results of daily practice as they are performed under controlled and strict clinical conditions. This multicentric, non-interventionist trial aimed to document the behaviour of implants when used in daily dental practice, without inclusion or exclusion criteria. One hundred and ninety-six screw-shaped, tissue-level implants were placed, and each clinician decided which implant, surgical loading and prosthetic protocol to use. At surgery, data related to the implants were recorded. Additionally, the crestal bone level changes were evaluated for up to two years of follow-up. Two implants were lost before they were loaded. The success rate was 98.31%, and the survival rate was 98.79%. The implant stability quotient (ISQ) at surgery was 68.61 ± 10.35 and at 2 years was 74.39 ± 9.64. The crestal-shoulder distances were 1.25 ± 1.09 mm and 1.68 ± 1.07 mm in the mesial and distal aspects on the day of surgery, respectively, and 2.04 ± 0.91 and 2.16 ± 0.99 mm at 2 years, respectively. At 2 years, 69.3% of the patients were highly satisfied. The use of implants under standard conditions seemed to have success rates similar to their placement in controlled studies.

Is It Possible to Monitor Implant Stability on a Prosthetic Abutment? An In Vitro Resonance Frequency Analysis.

In order to apply the "one-abutment-one-time" concept, we evaluated the possibility of measuring resonance frequency analysis (RFA) on the abutment. This trial aimed to compare the Implant Stability Quotient (ISQ) values obtained by the PenguinRFA when screwing the transducer onto the implant or onto abutments with different heights and angulations. Eighty implants (VEGA®, Klockner Implant System, SOADCO, Les Escaldes, Andorra) were inserted into fresh bovine ribs. The groups were composed of 20 implants, 12 mm in length, with two diameters (3.5 and 4 mm). Five different abutments for screwed retained restorations (Permanent®) were placed as follows: straight with 1, 2, and 3 mm heights, and angulated at 18° with 2 and 3 mm heights. The mean value of the ISQ measured directly on the implant was 75.72 ± 4.37. The mean value of the ISQ registered over straight abutments was 79.5 ± 8.50, 76.12 ± 6.63, and 71.42 ± 6.86 for 1, 2, and 3 mm height abutments. The mean ISQ over angled abutments of 2 and 3 mm heights were 68.74 ± 4.68 and 64.51 ± 4.53 respectively. The present study demonstrates that, when the ISQ is registered over the straight abutments of 2 and 3 mm heights, the values decrease, and values are lower for angled, 3 mm height abutments.

Influence of two different machined-collar heights on crestal bone loss.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this trial was to evaluate crestal bone level changes radiographically in a standardized fashion over a period of 12 months in humans for implants with a 0.7-mm machined collar (implant type A) versus type B implants with a 1.5-mm machined collar. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-five patients with multiple missing teeth in posterior sectors were randomly assigned to one of the two groups: A (0.7-mm machined-collar implants) or B (1.5-mm machined-collar implants). Changes at crestal bone level were assessed by measuring the shoulder-crest distance (SCD) on the mesial and distal aspects of each implant on customized periapical radiographs, which were taken on the day of surgery and 3, 6, and 12 months after surgery. RESULTS: Eighty-one implants were included in the study. Mean SCD was 0.54 ± 0.53 mm at baseline and 1.49 ± 0.40 mm after 12 months. For 0.7-mm-collar implants, mean SCD was 1.40 ± 0.39 mm, while it was 1.56 ± 0.40 mm for 1.5-mm-collar implants. Statistically significant differences were found only between the two types of implants for distal measurements at 3 and 12 months after placement. CONCLUSION: Both 0.7- and 1.5-mm machined-collar implants can be used with predictable results, as changes in peri-implant crestal bone levels are similar for both implant types and do not seem to be significant from a clinical point of view. The SCD may well depend more on the location of the abutment-implant interface than on machined-collar height.