Subjective and objective evaluation of masticatory function in patients with bimaxillary implant-supported prostheses

Area of Science:

• Dental Implantology
• Prosthodontics
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Patients with implant-supported prostheses often exhibit suboptimal masticatory function.
• A discrepancy exists between subjective patient reports and objective measures of chewing ability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between subjective and objective measures of masticatory function.
• To evaluate patients with bimaxillary implant-supported prostheses.

Main Methods:

• Compared an experimental group (n=25) with bimaxillary implant-supported prostheses to a control group (n=25) with natural dentition.
• Assessed masticatory function using objective food comminution and mixing tests.
• Evaluated subjective function via the Jaw Function Limitation Scale (JFLS) and Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP).

Main Results:

• The implant prosthesis group demonstrated significantly poorer performance in objective masticatory tests (p < .001).
• No significant differences were found in total JFLS or OHIP scores between the groups.
• Correlations between objective tests and subjective scales were poor, indicating a lack of agreement.

Conclusions:

• Patients with implant prostheses exhibit diminished masticatory performance.
• Objective and subjective assessments of mastication show a lack of agreement in this patient population.