Effect of treatment with implant-supported fixed partial dentures on oral health-related quality of life in patients with unilateral shortened dental arch.

Background/purpose: Implant-supported fixed partial dentures (IFPDs) are a treatment option for partially edentulous dentition with missing posterior-most molars despite the concept of a shortened dental arch (SDA). This study aimed to evaluate the effect of IFPD treatment on oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) in patients with unilateral SDA missing two adjacent molars and to compare the effects of single- and two-unit IFPDs. Materials and methods: Forty patients with unilateral SDA missing two adjacent molars (Kennedy Class II) participated in this study; 11 patients received one implant placement in the first molar and were treated with a single-unit IFPD (single-unit group), and 29 received two implant placements and were treated with a two-unit IFPD (two-unit group). The Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP) questionnaire for OHRQoL assessment and the gummy jelly test for objective masticatory performance were administered before and after IFPD treatment. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test for all patients and Mann-Whitney U test were performed for pre- and post-treatment comparisons and between-group comparisons, respectively. Results: The OHIP summary score and gummy jelly glucose concentration in all patients showed significant improvements after treatment (all P < 0.05). No significant differences were observed between the single- and two-unit groups for any of the items. Using the minimal important difference in the OHIP summary score, 63.6 % and 58.6 % of patients in the single- and two-unit groups, respectively, showed improvement by 6 points or more. Conclusion: IFPD treatment for patients with SDA missing two adjacent molars may provide clinically meaningful improvements in OHRQoL.

Association between the treatment choice of implant-supported fixed partial dentures and oral health-related quality of life in patients with a shortened dental arch: A preliminary observational study.

Background/purpose: In cases of missing posterior teeth, treatment modalities based on the shortened dental arch (SDA) concept may be a viable alternative. However, the association between oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) and patients' treatment decisions remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the association between OHRQoL and the decision to be treated with implant-supported fixed partial dentures (IFPDs) or take a wait-and-see approach in patients with an SDA missing a single second molar and to clarify the impact of IFPD treatment on the OHRQoL. Materials and methods: The Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP) questionnaire was administered twice (pre- and post-treatment) and once to 41 patients with a unilateral SDA missing a single second molar who chose IFPD treatment (IFPD group, n = 22) and the wait-and-see approach (no treatment group, n = 19), respectively. Logistic regression analysis was performed with IFPD treatment choice as the objective variable and the four OHIP dimension scores, age, and sex as covariates. The pre- and post-treatment values of the OHIP summary and four-dimension scores were compared using a paired t-test. Results: The IFPD treatment choice was significantly associated with sex (male), higher Oral Function dimension scores, and lower Psychosocial Impact dimension scores (all P < 0.05). The OHIP summary and four-dimension scores were significantly lower following IFPD treatment (all P < 0.05). Conclusion: IFPD treatment for a single missing second molar may be clinically beneficial for improving the OHRQoL of patients with an SDA who experience a decline in masticatory function.

Oral function of implant-assisted removable partial dentures with magnetic attachments using short implants: A prospective study.

OBJECTIVES: This prospective study aimed to compare the oral functions of removable partial dentures (RPDs) with those of implant-assisted removable partial dentures (IARPDs) with short implants and magnetic attachments in patients with mandibular Kennedy class I and II. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Thirty participants with mandibular Kennedy class I or II and at least three distal missing teeth were recruited. Oral functions, including mixing ability, comminuting ability, maximum bite force, and occlusal contact area, were assessed for RPDs (stage 0), IARPDs with healing caps (stage 1), and IARPDs with magnetic attachments (stage 2). The implants were loaded with occlusal force in stages 1 and 2. Finally, the data of the 27 participants who completed the evaluation at stage 2 were analyzed. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test with Bonferroni correction was used to assess the differences in the oral functions among the different stages. RESULTS: The implant survival rate was 93.8%. There were significant differences in the comminuting ability and occlusal contact area between stages 0 and 2 (p < .001 and p = .036, respectively) and stages 1 and 2 (p = .003 and p = .015, respectively). Regarding the maximum bite force, there was a significant difference between stages 1 and 2 (p = .018). However, there was no significant difference in the mixing ability between the three stages. CONCLUSIONS: Within the limitations of this study, it was concluded that IARPDs in the mandible with short implants and magnetic attachments may improve oral functions.

Patient-reported outcomes of implant-assisted removable partial dentures with magnetic attachments using short implants: A prospective study.

Purpose Implant-assisted removable partial dentures (IARPDs) with short implants improve the oral functions of removable partial dentures (RPDs). This study aimed to compare the patient-reported outcomes of RPDs and IARPDs with short implants retained by magnetic attachments.Methods We recruited 30 participants with mandibular Kennedy Class I or II and distal extension defects of three or more teeth. RPDs, IARPDs with a healing cap, and IARPDs with a magnetic attachment were evaluated across stages using patient-reported outcomes. All participants completed questionnaires (oral health-related quality of life [OHRQoL], patient general satisfaction, and patient's denture assessment [PDA]) at each stage. The OHRQoL was evaluated using the Oral Health Impact Profile-J 54 (OHIP-J 54) score. The general patient satisfaction was evaluated using a 100 mm visual analog scale. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test and Bonferroni correction were used to evaluate differences between the groups (α=0.05).Results The OHRQoL of IARPDs was significantly higher than that of RPDs. IARPDs with a magnetic attachment had significantly better patient general satisfaction and PDA than IARPDs with a healing cap.Conclusions The OHRQoL, patient general satisfaction, and PDA were improved by IARPD with a short implant using a magnetic attachment.

Impact of implant superstructure type on oral health-related quality of life in edentulous patients.

BACKGROUND: The effect of the type of implant superstructure on oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) among edentulous patients remains controversial. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to investigate the association between the type of implant superstructure and OHRQoL. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seventy-two completely edentulous patients who received implant fixed complete dentures (IFCDs) or implant overdentures (IODs) were administered the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP) questionnaire during the post-treatment maintenance period. The OHIP summary score, as well as the four dimension scores, were calculated to evaluate OHRQoL. RESULTS: The mean OHIP summary score for the IFCD group tended to be lower than that for the IOD group, but this difference was not statistically significant (19.9 ± 21.9, 22.8 ± 18.2, respectively; P = .57). However, a significant group difference was found in the four dimension scores (P < .01), with the OHIP item scores representing masticatory function being significantly lower in the IFCD group than in the IOD group (P < .05). CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggested that patients with an IOD exhibited comparable OHRQoL to those with an IFCD, with the exception of perceived masticatory function.