Long-term evaluation of quality of life and satisfaction between implant bar overdentures and conventional complete dentures: A 23 years retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: Dental implants have been used in edentulous jaws to improve the retention and stability of complete dentures. Attachment to the implants improves stability and function of the prostheses and increases patient satisfaction. PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate quality of life and satisfaction between patients with implant overdentures and complete dentures for more than 20 years. METHODS: Forty patients with overdentures and 40 patients with conventional complete dentures were included in this study. Both groups are carriers of their prosthesis more than 20 years. All patients completed an OHIP-14 and perception and satisfaction questionnaire related their implant prothesis. RESULTS: Follow-up mean in patients with overdentures were 23.27 ± 1.87 years and 23.20 ± 3.91 years for conventional prosthesis group. A worse quality of life was shown in the group of patients with conventional dentures in the 7 dimensions and in the total value, with statistically significant differences in 6 dimensions and in the total value (P ≤ .05). Patients with implants overdenture were more satisfied than patients with conventional dentures, with statistically significant differences (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Implant overdentures on cobalt chrome and gold bars offer an excellent long-term solution for edentulism compared with conventional denture.

High volume local anesthesia as a postoperative factor of pain and swelling in dental implants.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether the administration of high-volume local anesthesia can influence postoperative pain and swelling, and the degree of patient satisfaction, following dental implant placement. MATERIAL AND METHODS: One hundred patients (45 women and 55 men) between 19 and 80 years old were divided into two groups: group A (n = 50, with placement of an implant using an atraumatic approach in each patient, with sub-periosteal injection of a volume of Ultracain(®) ≤0.9 mL [half a carpule]) and group B (n = 50, involving the same surgical procedure but infiltrating a local anesthetic volume of ≥7.2 mL [four carpules]). Visual analog scales were used in all patients to rate intraoperative pain and postoperative pain and swelling. After the first week, the patients completed a questionnaire evaluating satisfaction with treatment. RESULTS: The intraoperative pain scores were similar in both groups (p = 0.363), while the postoperative pain and swelling scores were significantly lower in group A at all time points. Patient rated satisfaction with the surgical treatment was higher in group A. CONCLUSIONS: Excess injected volume of local anesthetic in dental implant surgery has a negative impact upon both postoperative pain and swelling, and on patient rated satisfaction.