Immediate placement of osseointegrated dental implants into extraction sockets: advantages and case reports

Osseointegrated dental implants have proven to be predictably successful when appropriate guidelines are followed. The technique as outlined by bränemark includes a post-extraction period of up to 12 months in order to allow for bone healing. This delay, combined with ridge resorption following extraction, may contribute to several problems. Insufficient available bone for ideal implant placement and prolonged treatment time are two common difficulties. Recently, several investigators have reported immediate placement of dental implants into extraction sockets achieving excellent results while, at the same time, minimizing or eliminating the above-mentioned difficulties. This paper will discuss the technique of immediate placement of osseointegrated dental implants into extraction sockets and its potential advantages. A future article will detail surgically-related difficulties with this technique.