Immediate placement of dental implants into extraction sockets: surgically-related difficulties

Osseointegrated dental implants have proven predictably successful when appropriate guidelines are followed. The Branemark Technique includes a period of up to 12 months for post-extraction bone healing. This delay, combined with the inevitable ridge resorption following extraction may contribute to several problems. The two common difficulties are: insufficient available bone for ideal implant placement and, prolonged treatment time. Recently several investigators have reported on the immediate placement of osseointegrated dental implants into extraction sockets. This technique was developed in order to eliminate or minimize the problems associated with delayed implant placement. Readers are referred to: Oral Health, pg. 19, July 1992, which discusses the technique and advantages of immediate placement of dental implants into extraction sockets. This paper discusses some of the difficulties associated with immediate implant placement. Several types of complications that may occur are summarized in Table I and expanded in the text of the article.