IMMEDIATE, EARLY (6 WEEKS) AND DELAYED LOADING (3 MONTHS) OF SINGLE, PARTIAL AND FULL FIXED IMPLANT-SUPPORTED PROSTHESES: THREE-YEAR POST-LOADING DATA FROM A MULTICENTRE RANDOMISED CONTROLLED TRIAL

PURPOSE. To compare the clinical outcomes of single, partial and complete fixed im-plant-supported prostheses immediately loaded (within 48 hours), early loaded at 6 we-eks, and conventionally loaded at 3 months (delayed loading). MATERIALS AND METHODS. Fifty-four patients (18 requiring single implants, 18 partial fixed prostheses, and 18 total fixed cross-arch prostheses) were randomised in equal numbers in two private practices to immediate loading (18 patients), early loading (18 patients), and conventional loading (18 patients) according to a parallel group design with three arms. To be immediately or early loaded, implants had to be inserted with a torque superior to 40 Ncm. Implants were initially loaded with provisional prostheses, replaced after 4 months by definitive ones. Outcome measures were prosthesis and implant failu-res, complications and peri-implant marginal bone levels. RESULTS. Two conventionally loaded patients rehabilitated with cross-arch fixed total prostheses dropped-out before 3-year post-loading follow-up. No implant failed. One early-loaded partial prosthesis had to be remade (P = 1.0). Three complications occurred in the immediately loaded group, two in the early-loaded and one in the conventionally loaded group with no statistically significant differences across groups (P = 0.861). Pe-ri-implant marginal bone loss was-0.04 ± 0.85 mm at immediately loaded implants,-0.01 ± 0.55 mm at early-loaded implants and 0.33 ± 0.36 mm at conventional loaded implants with no statistically significant differences between the three loading strategies (P=0.191). CONCLUSIONS. All loading strategies were highly successful, and no differences were observed in terms of implant survival and complications when implants were loaded immediately, early or conventionally.