Immediate maxillary lateral incisor implants with nonocclusal loading provisional crowns

Area of Science:

• Dentistry
• Oral Implantology
• Prosthodontics

Background:

• Maxillary lateral incisor agenesis or loss presents esthetic challenges.
• Traditional implant placement often requires multiple stages and temporary removable prostheses.
• Maintaining peri-implant tissue architecture is crucial for optimal esthetic outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of immediate dental implant placement with non-cemented immediate provisional crowns in maxillary lateral incisor sites.
• To assess the clinical and radiological success rates of this treatment modality.
• To determine the potential benefits regarding esthetics and complication avoidance.

Main Methods:

• Ten dental implants were placed in eight patients for maxillary lateral incisor replacement (two immediate, eight agenesis cases).
• Immediate provisional rehabilitation with non-occlusal loading acrylic resin crowns retained by calcinable copings was performed.
• Follow-up included clinical and radiological assessments for a minimum of 12 months.

Main Results:

• Nine out of ten implants remained functional with normal clinical and radiological characteristics after a minimum 12-month follow-up.
• One implant failure occurred due to acute local trauma three weeks post-placement.
• The technique avoided complications associated with cement excess or screw loosening.

Conclusions:

• Immediate implant placement with non-cemented provisional restorations in maxillary lateral incisor sites provides a viable esthetic solution.
• This approach eliminates the need for removable provisional restorations and minimizes risks of implant failure.
• Preservation of hard and soft tissue architecture is optimized, leading to improved peri-implant esthetics.