Implant retainers for free-end removable partial dentures affect mastication and nutrient intake

Area of Science:

• Dental Prosthetics and Implantology
• Oral Rehabilitation
• Nutritional Science

Background:

• Partially dentate individuals often face challenges with mastication and nutrient intake.
• Conventional free-end removable partial dentures (RPD) may not fully restore oral function.
• Implant-supported prosthetics offer potential improvements over traditional RPDs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare swallowing threshold parameters and nutrient intake between conventional RPD and RPD over posterior implant retainers with ball attachments (BA).
• To evaluate the impact of implant-retained RPDs on masticatory efficiency and food particle size.
• To assess changes in daily nutrient consumption following the use of implant-retained RPDs.

Main Methods:

• Eight partially dentate subjects received conventional RPDs, followed by RPDs with posterior implant retainers and BA.
• Swallowing threshold, masticatory cycles, and median particle size (X₅₀) of a test material were assessed.
• Nutrient intake was evaluated using a 3-day food diary and analyzed against the Brazilian Food Composition Table.

Main Results:

• No significant difference was observed in the number of masticatory cycles.
• A significant decrease in median particle size (X₅₀) at swallowing was noted with implant-retained RPDs.
• Significant increases in daily energy, carbohydrate, protein, calcium, fiber, and iron intake were recorded.

Conclusions:

• The use of implants and BA retainers over free-end RPDs improves oral processing of food, leading to smaller swallowed particle sizes.
• Implant-retained RPDs enhance nutrient intake, suggesting improved masticatory function and potentially better overall health.
• This prosthetic approach offers a viable solution for improving nutritional status in partially dentate patients.