Speaking Space, Chewing Rotational Denture Movement, OHRQoL, and Patient Expectations for Single-Implant Mandibular Overdentures.

PURPOSE: To compare the speaking space, perceived rotational movement during chewing, and oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) of elderly people rehabilitated with new conventional complete dentures (CDs) and single-implant mandibular overdentures (SIMOs) using a paired design. Patient expectations for SIMO use were also evaluated. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The participants were 22 elderly users of unsatisfactory CDs. They received new sets of conventional CDs, and assessment was performed after 2 months of use. Speaking space was recorded with a kinesiograph while participants read a list of words. Participants were asked two questions about perceived posterior rotational denture movement during chewing. The Dental Impact on Daily Living (DIDL) questionnaire was used to examine OHRQoL, and a visual analog scale was used to quantify participants' SIMO expectations. Subsequently, the mandibular CDs were converted to SIMOs, and the assessment was repeated after 2 months of use. Speaking space and OHRQoL data were submitted to ANOVA and Student t test, and perceived mandibular movement and expectation data were examined using likelihood-ratio chi-square test. RESULTS: The speaking space and perceived rotational movement did not differ between CD and SIMO use. General performance and eating restriction DIDL scores increased after SIMO insertion. Participants' SIMO expectations regarding speaking, cleaning, esthetics, and general aspects were met. CONCLUSION: Relative to CD use, SIMO use did not change the speaking space or perceived rotational movement when chewing among elderly patients. It improved OHRQoL via enhancement of two DIDL dimensions and met most elderly patients' expectations.

Speech and the swallowing threshold in single implant overdenture wearers: A paired control study.

BACKGROUND: Single implant mandibular overdentures (SIMOs) can improve mastication in edentulous elderly people. However, little attention has been paid to their effects on articulation disorders and the swallowing threshold relative to those of conventional complete dentures (CDs). OBJECTIVE: To compare the effects of new conventional CD set and SIMOs on articulation disorders, mandibular movements during speech and swallowing threshold using a paired study design. METHODS: Twenty-two edentulous Brazilian Portuguese-speaking elderly people (mean age 66.7 ± 4.6 years) were first evaluated whilst wearing their old conventional CDs. Articulation disorders were analysed by audio and video recordings, mandibular movements during speech were measured by kinesiography, and the swallowing threshold was assessed by masticatory cycle counting and medium particle size (X50 ) calculation. Participants then received new conventional CDs, and evaluations were repeated 2 months later. Subsequently, single implants were installed in the midlines of subjects' mandibles, and the conventional CDs were converted to SIMOs. After 2 months of SIMOs use, the evaluations were repeated. Data were submitted to the Cochran-Mantel-Haenszel and ANOVA. RESULTS: No difference in articulation disorders was found between new conventional CD and SIMO use. The frequency of anterior lisp during /s/ and /z/ phoneme pronunciation was reduced with new conventional CD use relative to old conventional CD use (p < .05). The X50 decreased progressively with new conventional CD and SIMO use (both p < .05). CONCLUSION: SIMOs do not alter speech relative to new well-fitted conventional CDs, but improved the swallowing threshold, in edentulous elderly people.