Parameters for Successful Implant Integration Revisited Part II: Algorithm for Immediate Loading Diagnostic Factors

Immediate loading of dental implants has become a widely reported practice with success rates ranging from 70.8% to 100%. Although most studies have considered implant survival to be the only measure of success, a better definition includes the long-term stability of the hard and soft tissues around the implant(s) and other adjacent structures, as well as the long-term stability of all the restorative components. The parameters identified in 1981 by Albrektsson and colleagues as influencing the establishment and maintenance of osseointegration have been reconsidered in relation to immediate loading to improve the chances of achieving such success. Two of the six parameters (status of the bone/implant site and implant loading conditions) have preoperative diagnostic implications, whereas three (implant design, surgical technique, and implant finish) may compensate for less-than-ideal site and loading conditions. Factors affecting the outcome of immediate loading are reviewed to assist clinicians attempting to assess its risks and benefits.