Dental implants: a survey of patients' attitudes

This study measured the psychologic attitudes of patients to implant prostheses and compared their status before and after therapy. Questionnaires were mailed to 95 patients with implants placed and restored at a university dental school. The implants had been in position for an average of 2.2 years. The patients had previously worn removable complete or partial dentures. Different questions addressed eating, speaking, relationships, employment, social life, esthetics, maintenance, and overall dental health. Sixty-one questionnaires were returned (64%). Satisfaction with the implant prosthesis was significantly greater than for the denture (p less than 0.0001). Responses to individual questions indicated that confidence was improved (88%), implants were worth the trouble (97%), the procedure would be worth repeating (89%), and overall dental health was improved (98%). This survey suggests that patients' attitudes toward their dental health improve significantly after treatment with implant prostheses.