The Influence on Osseointegration of Immediate Functional Loading on Single Crowns: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Split Mouth Controlled Clinical Trial with Histomorphometric Evaluation

Purpose: To evaluate the influence of immediate loading on the osseointegration and bone density of implants placed in a healed alveolar bone crest and supporting single crowns. Materials and Methods: Two solid titanium transmucosal mini-implants were placed in the distal regions of the mandible in 14 patients. One mini-implant was immediately functionally loaded, whereas the other was left unloaded. After 2 months of healing, biopsy samples were retrieved and the levels of new bone, old bone, and total bone (new + old) were assessed. Results: Histologic examination was performed on biopsies from 12 patients (n = 12). The new bone-to-implant contact percentage (BIC%) was 40.3% ± 16.8% and 55.1% ± 19.1% (P =.043) at the unloaded and loaded sites, respectively; in addition, the total BIC% was 44.9% ± 17.0% and 59.5% ± 18.8%, respectively (P =.034). The new bone density was 45.9% ± 11.6% for the unloaded implants and 45.9% ± 16.7% for the loaded implants (P =.622). Conclusions: Immediate loading had a positive effect on bone apposition at the implant surface, but no effect on bone density was observed after 2 months of healing. Int J Oral Maxillofac Implants 2024;39:699– 706. doi: 10.11607/jomi.10759