Systematic review of survival rates for immediately loaded dental implants

The primary goal of this paper was to determine the survival rate of immediately loaded (IL) dental implants based on a systematic review of the literature. Secondary goals were to determine the influence of several factors on the implant survival rate, such as the type of reconstruction, implant location, and implant surface characteristics. An electronic search of databases was performed, in addition to a hand search of the most relevant journals. All relevant articles were independently screened according to specific inclusion criteria. The selected papers were reviewed. The literature search yielded 270 applicable articles up to December 2005. Of these, 71 met the inclusion criteria for qualitative data analysis. Eight articles were randomized controlled trials. The overall implant survival rate for the included studies was 96.39%. The database included 10,491 IL implants placed in 2,977 patients, with a maximum follow-up of 13 years. IL is well documented and predictable for the edentulous mandible (overdentures and full-arch prostheses) and for maxillary single crowns. Fewer data were found for maxillary full-arch reconstructions, fixed partial prostheses, and mandibular single crowns. For the latter two types of reconstructions, implants placed in anterior sites generally displayed a higher survival rate versus those placed in posterior sites. Rough surfaces displayed a higher survival rate than machined surfaces in all types of reconstructions. Most failures (97.1%) occurred within the first 12 months of loading. This review showed that it is possible to apply IL with excellent survival rates. Implant micromorphology and careful patient selection may affect treatment outcomes.