Early Loading

The loading of a dental implant refers to the placement of the prosthetic onto the dental implant hardware after the implant has healed. However, early loading is becoming more popular as patients are demanding shorter treatment times. This means that the implant may be loaded before tissues have fully healed and before the implant has completely osseointegrated. There are three types of loading: conventional, early, and immediate. Conventional loading of a dental implant takes place between three and six months after the placement of the implant hardware. However, extended treatment times may be undesirable for some patients, especially when the implant is being done in the front of the mouth. Immediate loading occurs about 48 hours after the placement of the implant hardware, however, studies show that immediately loaded implants are less successful than their conventional counterparts. Early loading refers to loading that occurs at any time between 48 hours and 3-6 months.