Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 21, 2026
05:54
Real-Time Dynamic Navigation System for the Precise Quad-Zygomatic Implant Placement in a Patient with a Severely Atrophic Maxilla
Published on: October 18, 2021
Immediate loading with single implant crowns: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Momen A Atieh1, Ahmad H Atieh, Alan G T Payne
1Sir John Walsh Research Institute, School of Dentistry, Univeristy of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand. maatieh@gmail.com
The International Journal of Prosthodontics
|July 30, 2009
Summary
Immediate loading of single implant crowns shows a higher risk of implant failure compared to conventional loading. Conventional loading is currently recommended for better outcomes in single tooth replacement. Further research is needed.
Area of Science:
- Dental Implantology
- Prosthodontics
- Evidence-Based Dentistry
Background:
- Immediate loading protocols for single implant crowns have gained attention as an alternative to conventional loading.
- Assessing the comparative success rates and risks associated with these different loading protocols is crucial for clinical decision-making.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review and meta-analyze studies comparing immediate versus conventional loading of single implant crowns.
- To estimate the overall treatment effect and risk of failure associated with immediate loading protocols.
Main Methods:
- A comprehensive literature search was conducted across multiple databases, including MEDLINE and the Cochrane Controlled Trials Register.
- Five randomized and nonrandomized controlled studies involving 248 implants were selected and analyzed using a fixed effects model.
- Data extraction and meta-analysis were performed following the Quality of Reporting of Meta-analyses (QUOROM) statement.
Main Results:
- Immediate loading of single implant crowns was associated with a significantly higher risk of implant failure (Relative Risk: 5.07, 95% CI: 2.00–12.84).
- Immediate nonocclusal loading also demonstrated worse outcomes compared to conventional loading (Relative Risk: 4.76, 95% CI: 1.74–13.02).
- Pooling of randomized controlled trials indicated similar trends, though not statistically significant.
Conclusions:
- Conventional loading of single implants with crowns currently yields better outcomes than immediate loading.
- Immediately loaded implants, particularly for single tooth replacement, exhibit an increased risk of failure.
- Further high-powered clinical trials are recommended, and caution is advised when considering immediate loading as a standard of care.