# Consensus Report of Group 1 of the 1st Global Consensus for Clinical Guidelines for the Rehabilitation of the Edentulous Maxilla: Number of Implants, Timing of Implant Placement and Loading

## TL;DR

This paper presents clinical guidelines for rehabilitating the edentulous maxilla using implants, based on global expert consensus and patient outcomes.

## Contribution

The paper introduces 12 evidence-based clinical recommendations for implant number, placement timing, and loading protocols.

## Key findings

- Three clinical recommendations achieved strong consensus (>95% agreement).
- Nine recommendations reached consensus (≥75% agreement).
- Guidelines aim to support patient-centered care and identify future research priorities.

## Abstract

The 1st Global Consensus for Clinical Guidelines (GCCG) in Implant Dentistry introduced an innovative, evidence‐based approach to developing patient‐centered and practical recommendations for the rehabilitation of the edentulous maxilla. Within this framework, Group 1 aimed to formulate clinical recommendations on the number of implants required, timing of implant placement, and timing of loading.

Group 1 followed the S2k‐level guideline framework of the Association of the Scientific Medical Societies in Germany (AWMF), using a structured nominal group technique. The evidence base included three systematic reviews evaluating clinician‐reported outcomes (ClinROs) and patient‐reported outcomes (PROs), supplemented by structured single‐round international surveys involving expert clinicians, patients, and cross‐disciplinary experts. Survey content covered diagnostics, treatment planning, clinical procedures, and maintenance care. Draft recommendations were discussed during the in‐person consensus meeting in Boston (June 16–18, 2025) and finalized through anonymous plenary voting. Consensus was defined as ≥ 75% and ≤ 95% agreement and strong consensus as > 95% agreement.

Group 1 formulated 12 clinical recommendations across the workflow domains of diagnostic tools, treatment planning, and treatment procedure. During plenary voting, three of these recommendations reached strong consensus, and nine achieved consensus. The number of voters per recommendation ranged from 61 to 90, with an average of 83.

This consensus report provides structured, evidence‐based recommendations on implant number, placement timing, and loading protocols for rehabilitation of the edentulous maxilla. These guidelines are intended to support individualized, patient‐centered care while also identifying priority areas for future research.