Factors Associated With Patient-Reported Outcomes More Than 5 Years After Dental Implant Therapy: A Cross-Sectional...

To evaluate patient-reported outcome (PROs) and their associated factors in patients treated with dental implants more than 5 years earlier.

In this cross-sectional study, patients with implants (> 5 years) completed a self-administered questionnaire assessing functional, aesthetic, psychosocial and economic satisfaction. The 17 satisfaction items were condensed by exploratory factor analysis, and a Global Satisfaction Score was derived. Univariable and multivariable linear regression with robust standard errors identified factors associated with satisfaction, complemented by sensitivity and subgroup analyses.

A total of 260 patients were included (61.2% female; 91.5% aged > 50 years). Overall satisfaction was high, with 93.1% of patients satisfied or very satisfied. Factor analysis yielded four dimensions (overall satisfaction, psychosocial function, aesthetics, information). In the multivariable model, higher pre-treatment information (β = +6.4, p < 0.001) and the absence of patient-reported peri-implant inflammation (β = -8.2, p < 0.001) were the only factors independently associated with overall satisfaction. Both remained robust across sensitivity analyses. Demographic variables, cost and extent of rehabilitation were not associated with satisfaction. A history of periodontitis was associated with higher aesthetic satisfaction (p = 0.030).

Patient satisfaction more than 5 years after implant therapy was high and most strongly associated with patient-reported pre-treatment information and the absence of reported complications than with demographic factors. These findings should be interpreted cautiously as the cross-sectional design and retrospective self-reporting preclude causal inference.