Page 25 - Impact of implant retained overdenture treatment and speech, oromyofunction, social participation and quality of life.

tongue at ease were evaluated by the patient, indicating on schematic figures of the tongue what position resembled theirs the most. Hyperfunction of the musculus Mentalis during swallowing and the position and tonus of the lips were noted by the examiner. The results showed an increase of tongue thrust. Thrust is the frontal position of the tongue during rest and swallowing 27. This could be affected by the conversion of a palate covering denture to an implant prosthesis without palatal coverage. Other research on oromyofunctional behavior does not report severe problems in implant treatment of any kind 29,31,40.
Quality of life and satisfaction with overdenture treatment
The impact of dental implant treatment on OHRQoL has been well documented in literature 9. Compared to a natural dentition, denture wearing is associated with a reduction in functional comfort and OHRQoL. Lack of stability and retention as well as decreased chewing ability are the most prevalent patient complaints 11. It is important to notice that OHRQoL is different from ‘satisfaction’ defined as the individuals positive evaluation of distinct dimensions of health care 45. Satisfaction with the oral situation after implantation depends on the outcome in eating comfort, speech comfort and esthetics 46.
Overall, people are very satisfied and report minimal impact on OHRQoL after their treatment 9,28,29,34,46,47. Nonetheless, there is a difference in impact on OHRQoL depending on the initial problem as well as the kind of prosthetic rehabilitation that has been performed. Patients are seemingly more satisfied and report less impact on OHRQoL with the treatment when rehabilitated with single crowns compared to fixed dentures or removable implant retained overdentures 31. The effect of one missing tooth on OHRQoL is minimal whereas it is jeopardized in totally edentulous patients wearing removable prostheses. Compared to fixed dental prostheses on implants, OHRQoL improves proportionally more with overdentures on implants 47. When adjustments are made to the orofacial and dental structures, the possible impact on different functions and quality of life can’t be underestimated. On the other hand, people have higher demands and expectations regarding aesthetics, comfort and function 4.
Social participation and the role of personality traits
The outcome on OHRQoL, satisfaction and social participation is influenced by several other factors besides the pure technical treatment. Another large aspect, also provided in the ICF-model is ‘personal factors’. Gender, age and
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Introduction
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