Oral Health Services and the Effects on a Patients’ Quality of Life in a Dental Implant Clinic.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of dental implant services on patient oral health quality of life (OHQoL). Methods: Participants were current adult patients receiving dental implants at a university dental school. Oral health related quality of life was measured using the five-item Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-5). OHP-5 consists of 5 questions covering seven domains: functional limitations, physical pain, psychological discomfort, physical disability, psychological disability, social disability, and handicaps. A lower OHIP score equates to a greater OHRQoL. Outcomes were measured at three time points: baseline (at the crown impression appointment), follow-up (4 to 6 weeks after crown placement), and 1 month after the follow up appointment. Paired t-tests comparing individual mean OHIP-5 scores between baseline and each of the subsequent time points were performed to test for changes in oral health quality of life. Statistically significant results were tested further using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Results: A total of 41 patients participated in the study consisting of 22 men and 19 women. A majority of patients (95%) were aged 46 and older. Oral health quality of life improved between the first and the third time points for the majority of participants (65.9%), but decreased for 12.2%. Twenty-two percent of participants consistently had the same OHIP-5 score (0) at each time point. Oral health quality of life improved incrementally between each time point. The OHIP-5 mean scores decreased 1.73 points, on average, between baseline and the first follow-up appointment (95% CI: 0.94-2.52 point decrease; p<0.001) and 2.15 points, on average, between baseline and the second follow-up appointment, (95% CI: 1.20-3.09 point decrease; p<0.001). Conclusion: The majority of patients reported improved oral health related quality of life with implant-supported crown placement.