DOI: 10.11607/jomi.3987, PubMed ID (PMID): 26394352Pages 1143-1148, Language: EnglishKarbach, Julia / Hartmann, Sinsa / Jahn-Eimermacher, Antje / Wagner, WilfriedPurpose: To compare the oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) in a prospective, randomized crossover trial in patients with mandibular overdentures retained with two or four locators.
Materials and Methods: In 30 patients with edentulous mandibles, four implants (ICX-plus implants [Medentis Medical]) were placed in the intraforaminal area. Eight weeks after transgingival healing, patients were randomly assigned to have two or four implants incorporated in the prosthesis. After 3 months, the retention concepts were switched. The patients with a two-implant-supported overdenture had four implants incorporated, whereas patients with a four-implant-supported overdenture had two retention locators taken out. After 3 more months, all four implants were retained in the implant-supported overdenture in every patient. To measure OHRQoL of the patients, the Oral Health Impact Profile 14, German version (OHIP-14 G), was used.
Results: A considerable increase in OHRQoL could be seen in all patients after the prosthesis was placed on the implants. Also, a statistically significant difference of OHRQoL could be seen in the OHIP-14 G scores between two-implant and four-implant overdentures. Patients had a higher OHRQoL after incorporation of four implants in the overdenture compared with only two implants.
Conclusion: Patients with implant-retained overdentures had better OHRQoL compared with those with conventional dentures. The number of incorporated implants in the locator-retained overdenture also influenced the increase in OHRQoL, with four implants having a statistically significant advantage over two implants.
Keywords: intraindividual comparison, locator-retained overdenture, oral health-related quality of life, two- versus four-locator