Immediate Functional Load of Mandibular Implant Overdentures: A Surgical and Prosthodontic Rationale of 2 Implant Modalities
Classic guidelines in osseointegration for root-form dental implants include a long healing period, during which functional load should be avoided. However, the long healing period might impose an intolerable situation on some patients, especially in the completely edentulous situation. Subperiosteal dental implant guidelines demonstrate that the implant upon insertion can be put into immediate function and be restored with the final prosthesis soon after surgery. Studies on immediately functional loaded implant-supported prostheses in patients who are completely edentulous have been reported, exhibiting high success rates comparable with conventionally loaded implants. This article describes the surgical and prosthodontic procedure for the immediately functional loaded mandibular implant overdentures in 2 different dental implant modalities, as well as its clinical rationale.Abstract
Contributor Notes
Jaime L. Lozada, DDS, is a professor and director, Aladdin J. Al-Ardah, DDS, is an assistant professor, Joseph Y. K. Kan, DDS, MS, and Alejandro Kleinman DDS, are associate professors, and Kitichai Rungcharassaeng, DDS, MS, is an assistant professor of the Graduate Program in Implant Dentistry, Loma Linda University, School of Dentistry Center for Implant Dentistry, Loma Linda, Calif.
Address correspondence to Dr Lozada at 11092 Anderson St, Suite 4411, Loma Linda, CA. 92350 (jlozada@sd.llu.edu)