Change in Subjective Oral Health After Single Dental Implant Treatment

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate changes in subjective oral health among patients receiving single dental implants in different anatomic locations. Materials and Methods: Subjective oral health was surveyed with the Oral Health Impact Profile 14 (OHIP-14) questionnaire after implant placement but prior to uncovering and 3 months after the completion of treatment. The locations of the implants and age and gender of the patients were recorded. Mean OHIP-14 severity scores were compared before and after treatment (paired t test). Results: Ninety consecutive self-referred patients were enrolled in the study, and 80 of them (28 men and 52 women) completed the OHIP-14 both before and after treatment. The mean age of the patients at the time of surgery was 52 years (range, 24 to 75 years). The patients received a total of 131 commercially available dental implants (Astra Tech) and appropriate prosthetic constructions. The mean OHIP-14 severity score decreased significantly, from 10.4 before treatment to 3.1 after treatment (P < .001). The drop was from 13.4 to 1.5 (P < .001) if the missing tooth was replaced with an implant in the anterior area, from 11.2 to 4.3 (P < .001.) if it was replaced in the premolar area, and from 6.5 to 3.0 (P = .085) if it was replaced in the molar area. In general, both before and after treatment, women reported subjective oral impacts approximately three times more often than men did. Conclusion: Replacement of missing teeth with single dental implants in anterior and premolar areas, but not necessarily in molar areas, may significantly improve subjective oral health, especially among women. INT J ORAL MAXILLOFAC IMPLANTS 2011;26:571-577