Background: The success of osseointegrated implants ad modum Brånemark for single-tooth restorations is documented. Future developments should aim at improving the benefits to patients by decreasing treatment time, minimizing surgical stages, and maximizing esthetic outcomes. Using knowledge from studies of immediate implant placement, one-stage, immediate loading protocols, the authors developed the immediate provisional.
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to develop a protocol to provide an immediate solution for restoring a single missing tooth in the esthetic zone. The protocol should be simple, predictable, cost effective, and allow the use of other techniques to improve esthetic outcome.
Materials and method: This prospective clinical study included 24 patients treated from August 1999 to October 2000. Single-tooth implant replacement was done according to immediate provisional protocol. Thirteen of the 24 patients had immediate implant placement after tooth extraction. All implants were placed in the esthetic zone. During surgery, emphasis was placed on obtaining primary stability by achieving bicortical anchorage and maximum insertion torque of at least 40 Ncm. CeraOne (Nobel Biocare) abutments were used, and provisional crowns were fabricated immediately before wound closure. The occlusion was protected by adjacent teeth.
Results: Within the follow-up period of between 1 month and 15 months, all fixtures in the 24 patients were stable. Crestal bone loss greater than one thread-width was not detected. The esthetic result was considered satisfactory by all patients.
Conclusions: The implant placement and restoration protocol used in this study showed promising initial results for both the immediate implant and healed extraction site groups. The desirable goals of patient satisfaction, excellent esthetic outcomes, and no increase in treatment cost were achieved in this protocol. Further studies to elucidate the potential of the immediate provisional protocol are justified.