A Case Report
Thomas J. Balshi, DDS, PhD, FACP, Glenn J. Wolfinger, DMD, FACP
Clinical Implant Dentistry and Related Research, Vol. 5, No. 1, 2003
Background: A growing body of evidence indicates that successful osseointegration of dental implants can take place in the wake of immediate loading, providing that bone quality and quantity are adequate, and patients follow postsurgical instructions carefully.
Purpose: The goal of this report is to demonstrate the efficient treatment protocol based on immediate loading for both the maxilla and mandible, including extraction site locations.
Methods: Following extraction of the remaining anterior mandibular teeth, 18 Brånemark implants (Nobel Biocare, Gothenburg, Sweden), including two zygoma and two pterygoid implants, were installed in both arches in accordance with the Teeth-in-a-Day protocol developed by the authors nine years ago. This protocol uses an acrylic screw retained prosthesis, with steel prosthetic copings embedded, supported by full-size Brånemark implants to prevent micromotion at the bone-to-implant interface
Results: Only one of the 18 immediately loaded implants failed to osseointegrate. Three years after completion of treatment, the patient reported functioning well with no complications.
Conclusion: When appropriate subjects are selected, the Teeth in a Day protocol offers patients a number of significant advantages, including condensed treatment time, reduced post-surgical discomfort, and almost instantaneous improvement in speech and masticatory function, esthetics, and patient self-image.
KEY WORDS: Immediate loading, Conversion prosthesis, Full-arch reconstruction, Zygoma implants, Pterygoid implants, Teeth In A Day®
