What does immediate loading consist of when we talk about dental implants?
Immediate loading when we talk about dental implants consists of placing the prosthesis, that is, the molars that are placed on top of the implant, the same day or the day after the implants are placed, that is, we do not wait for the time that we normally or traditionally wait after placing an implant, which is usually between 3 and 4 months, and which is the period we call osseointegration period during which the implant is being trapped by the bone. In immediate loading we place the molars immediately after the implants are placed and this osseointegration process takes place when the molar is already in place.
What advantages does this technique offer over others?
The advantages of immediate loading are undeniable since the patient has teeth from day one, thus avoiding the period of osseointegration, when the implants are in place but the teeth are not. This stage, depending on whether it is a very visible area of the mouth or in patients who are missing all the teeth of an arch, is usually a rather uncomfortable stage since the patient is forced to wear a removable prosthesis, i.e. a removable prosthesis with all the inconveniences that this entails. Immediate loading therefore avoids this step of wearing a removable prosthesis, and the patient is really very comfortable from the first minute, significantly reducing the number of post-operative visits and giving the patient the feeling that the treatment has been much faster.
Can it be applied to all patients?
Immediate loading can be applied to practically any patient, however, it depends fundamentally on the quality of the bone on which we are placing the implant and the area we are rehabilitating, i.e. if it is an area that supports a lot of load when chewing and it is an area that cannot be seen, it does not make sense to place the tooth from the first moment. However, in areas where it is really necessary for aesthetic reasons to place the tooth from the first day, undoubtedly all patients can benefit from this technique and with minimal care during those first 2 or 3 months in which the implant is not yet fully attached to the bone, we will achieve complete success in the treatment.