Evaluation of the Effects of Attachment Type and Implant Number on Life Quality of Implant-Supported Mandibular Overdenture Prosthesis Patients

Abstract

Objective: The current study aimed to evaluate the life quality of implant-assisted mandibular overdenture patients who have had additional implant applications and were rehabilitated with ball or bar attachment. Material and Methods: 53 patients who came to Van Yüzüncü Yil University, Faculty of Dentistry, Prosthodontics Clinic for implant-supported mandibular overdenture treatment between 2019 and 2021 were included in this prospective clinical study (32 females, 30 males; mean age: 64.03; age range: 33-90). The patients were called back for the study precisely one year after prosthetic loading of their implants. Implant-supported mandibular overdenture prosthesis patients diverged into six groups: splinted two implants (bar attachment), single two implants (ball attachment), splinted three implants (bar attachment), single three implants (ball attachment), splinted four implants (bar attachment) and single four implants (ball attachment). And they asked for completing the Turkish version of the OHIP-14 questionnaire. Results: Ball attachment was used in 45.28% of the participants, a mandibular overdenture design supported by a bar attachment was preferred in 54.72%. Kruskal-Wallis test results indicated that the number of implants had a statistically significant effect only on functional limitation and psychological disability among the seven OHIP-14 categories evaluated (p=0.018, p=0.009). Accordingly, the average functional limitation score in individuals with four implants was 4.44 ± 1.89. Conclusion: We found that there are a positive correlation between the number of implants and the patient's life quality; however, it can be concluded that attachment type does not significantly affect the scores of the life quality