Objectives:

 This study aimed to validate a new questionnaire for assessing the oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) of implant-prosthesis wearers.

 Methods:

 A group of specialists designed the 10-item scale: ‘Quality of Life with Implant-Prostheses’ (QoLIP-10). After completing a pilot trial, 150 subjects wearing implant-prostheses or complete dentures who were not requesting dental treatment participated in the main investigation. They were divided into three groups (n=50 each) depending on the type of dental restoration. Group 1 (CD): complete denture wearers (control) Group 2 (IO): implant-retained overdenture wearers and Group 3 (HP): subjects with fixed implant hybrid prostheses. Participants answered the QoLIP-10 and the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-20sp) questionnaires. Information on global oral satisfaction, socio-demographic, health-behavioural, clinical and prosthetic-related data were gathered. The psychometric characteristics of the QoLIP-10 were investigated. The Spearman's rank correlation test was used to determine the association between the total scores of the QoLIP-10 and OHIP-20sp. Descriptive and non-parametric probes were run to evaluate the impact scores obtained depending on the study variables.

 Results:

  The QoLIP-10 scale is reliable and valid. The factor analysis confirmed the existence of three dimensions and meaningful inter-correlations among the 10 items. HP wearers demonstrated better biopsychosocial QoL, as indicated by their answers to Item 1 (oral pain) and Item 3 (chewing difficulty).

 Conclusions:

  The QoLIP-10 index confirmed its psychometric capacity for assessing the OHRQoL of implant overdenture and hybrid prosthesis wearers. Overall, the participants were satisfied with their mouth and implant-restorations.

 Clinical significance:

  The QoLIP-10 may be recommended for determining the influence of implant-retained overdentures and hybrid prostheses on the well-being of future patients. Hybrid prostheses are the most predictable treatment option for improving patient satisfaction in terms of oral pain and chewing functionality when compared to implant overdentures and complete dentures.

 Source: Journal of Dentistry

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