Introduction: The goal of implant treatment is the formation of a direct bone-implant interface contact.
Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the possibilities of immediate loading treatment for edentulous patients rehabilitated with mandibular and maxillary overdentures.
Material and methods: A literature review using the PubMed and BIREME databases between the periods of 1977 and 2011 was performed.
Results: From an initial yield of 218 titles, 78 articles were selected for text analysis, finally resulting in 23 studies (16 prospective, 6 prospective randomized, and 1 prospective multicenter) that met the inclusion criteria.
Conclusion: The immediate loading protocol through which the implants are subjected to occlusal function immediately after their placement was introduced to overcome this limitation.