Immediate implants are placed in fresh extraction sockets immediately after tooth extraction. This helps reduce the treatment time and preserves the dimensions of alveolar ridge. Several anatomical and surgical factors need to be considered before placement of immediate implants. The surgical requirements for immediate implantation include extraction with the least trauma possible, preservation of the extraction socket walls and thorough alveolar curettage to eliminate all pathological material. Primary stability must be obtained during immediate implant placement. Many authors consider that it is easier to obtain primary stability with rough surfaces, aggressive thread design, and tapered implants. Although some of the early implant practitioners assume that long term implant survival depended on placement on healed alveolar ridge, the growing body of evidence confirms that immediate implant placement yields excellent and predictable results. Several studies have showed that the survival rates of implants placed immediately, early, delayed, or late seemed to be similar in the short term and amount to approximately 95%.
This article reviews available literature to delinate the socket physiology following extraction, indications, contraindications, advantages and disadvantages along with the decisional criteria and surgical technique for immediate implant installation.
