A 4-year prospective clinical and radiological study of maxillary dental implants supporting single-tooth crowns using early and delayed loading protocols.

Background: Recent studies have showed that immediate/early loading of dental implants is a clinically feasible concept with results similar to those for standard two-stage procedures, especially in the mandible. However, there are only a few studies regarding the immediate/early loading of maxillary implants supporting single-tooth crowns.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to compare the clinical and radiological outcomes of early- and delayed-loaded dental implants supporting single-tooth crowns in the maxilla.