It is possible to successfully load dental implants immediately or early after their placement in selected patients, though not all clinicians may achieve optimal results when loading the implant immediately. A high degree of primary implant stability (high value of insertion torque) seems to be one of the prerequisites for a successful immediate/early loading procedure. More well designed RCTs are needed. Priority should be given to trials comparing immediately versus early loaded implants to improve patient satisfaction and decrease treatment time. These trials should be reported according to the CONSORT guidelines (http://www.consort-statement.org/).

The concept of consent to treatment is increasingly becoming contested in United Kingdom courts of law. Any practitioners who cannot demonstrate that a patient has properly consented to treatment are laying themselves open to litigation. This paper demonstrates that valid consent is not as straightforward as may be assumed and that a patient can easily challenge a standardised approach to obtaining consent. Current Department of Health guidelines on obtaining consent are discussed, and changes in the USA. Europe and Australia are brought into focus with regard to the situation in the UK.

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