Patient-reported outcomes of immediate versus conventional loading with fixed full-arch prostheses in the maxilla: A nonrandomized controlled prospective study

Purpose: To compare patient satisfaction and postoperative pain and swelling for immediate versusconventional loading in partially edentulous patients requiring extraction of the remaining maxillary dentitionand rehabilitation with fixed full-arch prostheses. Materials and Methods: This prospective, controlled,nonrandomized study with 12-month follow-up included 30 consecutive patients scheduled for fixed full-archimplant-supported maxillary rehabilitation. Fifteen patients were treated with conventional loading (controlgroup) and the next 15 with immediate loading (test group). Ten-centimeter visual analog scales were usedas assessment tools. Patient overall satisfaction and specific satisfaction with esthetics, chewing, speaking,comfort, self-esteem, ease of cleaning, and treatment duration were assessed preoperatively and at 3 and12 months postoperatively. Postoperative pain and swelling levels were recorded daily during the first week.Statistical analysis was performed using Mann-Whitney and Wilcoxon rank sum tests, α = .05. Results:One test group patient was excluded, so the final sample included 29 patients. Between baseline and 3months, in the test group general satisfaction and all specific satisfactions increased significantly with theexception of speech; in the control group overall satisfaction and self-esteem did not change, satisfactionwith esthetics increased significantly, and satisfaction with speech, chewing, and comfort decreasedsignificantly. After 12 months, satisfaction was significantly higher in the test group with the exception ofease of cleaning. Between 3 and 12 months, satisfaction improved in both groups but to a greater degree inthe control group. After 12 months, there were no differences in satisfaction. No differences were found ineither mean postoperative pain/swelling or maximum pain/swelling at the studied time points. Conclusions:Patient satisfaction for immediate loading was significantly higher than for conventional loading during theosseointegration period. After 12 months, when final prosthetic rehabilitations had been in function for sometime, differences had disappeared. No differences were found between loading protocols in postoperativepain or swelling