Early functional loading of conical Branemark implants in the edentulous mandible:: A 12-month follow-up clinical report

Treatment of patients with implant-supported mandibular fixed prostheses performed according to an early loading concept has shown excellent results in several reports. The outcome of such treatments with 4 implants, in which the posteriors are distally inclined, has not been reported. This clinical report describes a 12-month evaluation of 17 consecutive patients with 68 conical Branemark implants placed between the mental foramina according to a 1-stage surgical procedure. Fixed mandibular prostheses were connected to the implants an average of 33 days after implant placement. Clinical and radiographic examinations were performed at the time of placement of the fixed prosthesis and at a 12-month examination. Five implants were lost during the observation period, 3 before loading and 2 after prosthesis connection, rendering an implant survival rate of 93%. One patient lost her prosthesis because of a failing implant. The average marginal bone loss was 0.24 mm.