[Patient satisfaction with removable implant-supported prostheses in the edentulous mandible]

The aim of the present study was to investigate patients' satisfaction with removable implant restorations with two or four implants compared to a complete denture (CD) in the edentulous mandible. 20 patients in each group were asked to fill out a questionnaire ("Patient satisfaction related to the prosthetic restoration") before treatment, after six months and three years. With implant restorations, either implant-retained (IRET) or implant-supported (ISUP), greater improvements in prostheses retention and pain reduction were achieved in comparison to complete dentures. In addition, restrictions related to food selection were resolved for most implant patients. Despite great inter-individual differences, there was a tendency for larger improvements of almost all parameters with IRET, except chewing ability, which was rated best with ISUP. Long-term results revealed that patients with ISUP (four implants) assessed prostheses retention with the highest ratings compared to those with IRET and CD (p = 0,0147). These results indicate that an improvement in functional and psychological parameters can be achieved with two implants, whilst stabilization with four implants improves prosthesis retention, chewing ability and pain reduction in the long term. Maintenance efforts were more complex for implant restorations than for CD and imply a recall at least once a year.