Location of implant-retained fixed dentures affects oral health-related quality of life.

BACKGROUND: The effects of the locations of dental implants on treatment outcomes, as evaluated by oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) assessment, remain controversial.

PURPOSE: To investigate the association between the locations of dental implants and changes in OHRQoL.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty-eight subjects received implant treatment in the anterior or posterior region and completed the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP) questionnaire before and after treatment. Change in OHIP summary scores and the 4 dimension scores were calculated to evaluate the effects of implant treatment on OHRQoL.

RESULTS: The mean Oro-facial Appearance score for the anterior group was significantly higher than that for the posterior group (10.4 ± 5.1 and 7.2 ± 3.8, respectively; P ＝ .005; Effect size = 0.63) at baseline. All questionnaire scores were significantly improved following implant treatment in both groups, and no significant group differences were observed at follow-up. Regression analysis revealed a significant association between the locations of most anterior implants and changes in the Oro-facial Appearance score (adjusted R2  = 0.073; P = .015).

CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that the locations of dental implants influence OHRQoL impairments and improvements after treatment. This information might be useful in clinical decision-making.