
State of the art on implant placement and loading protocols in partially edentulous patients
Implant placement and loading are two parts of the same clinical strategy, not separate choices. The 2026 systematic review from the Harvard School of Dental Medicine team updates the Gallucci framework with a far larger evidence base, clarifying which accelerated protocols—such as Type 1A (immediate placement + immediate loading)—are now well validated and where options like Type 1B still carry higher risk. It also confirms late placement protocols as the most consistently predictable pathways, while showing how early placement can balance biological safety with shorter treatment times.





