Patient satisfaction with implant-retained mandibular overdentures: a retrospective study

Area of Science:

• Dental Implantology
• Prosthodontics
• Patient-Reported Outcomes

Background:

• Implant-supported overdentures offer improved function and aesthetics for edentulous patients.
• Assessing patient satisfaction is crucial for evaluating the success of prosthetic rehabilitation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate how age, gender, and prior prosthetic history impact patient satisfaction with mandibular implant-supported overdentures.
• To identify specific demographic and historical factors influencing comfort, aesthetics, function, and overall satisfaction.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 55 patients treated with implant-retained mandibular overdentures.
• Patient questionnaires assessed satisfaction with comfort, hygiene, retention, appearance, speech, mastication, and overall experience.
• Generalized estimating equations (GEE) analyzed relationships between satisfaction scores and patient characteristics.

Main Results:

• Gender significantly correlated with comfort (p < .0001).
• Longer edentulism duration and previous denture use negatively impacted comfort and function.
• Older patients reported higher satisfaction with aesthetics and comfort.

Conclusions:

• Patient satisfaction with implant-supported overdentures is multifactorial, influenced by age, gender, and prosthetic history.
• Past prosthetic experiences, such as the number of previous dentures, significantly affect patient outcomes.
• Age and gender are key demographic factors associated with varying levels of satisfaction.