WITHIN-SUBJECT COMPARISONS OF IMPLANT-SUPPORTED MANDIBULAR PROSTHESES- PSYCHOMETRIC EVALUATION

In a within-subject cross-over clinical trial, psychometric and functi onal measurements were taken while 15 completely edentulous subjects w ore mandibular fixed prostheses and long-bar removable implant-support ed prostheses. In this paper, the results of a psychometric assessment are presented. Eight subjects first received the fixed bridge and sev en the removable type. After having worn a prosthesis for a minimum of two months, subjects responded to psychometric scales that measured t heir perceptions of various factors associated with prostheses. They a lso chewed test foods while masticatory activity was recorded. The pro stheses were then changed and the procedures repeated. At the end of t he study, patients were asked to choose the prosthesis that they wishe d to keep. Patients assigned significantly higher scores, on visual an alogue scales, to both types of implant-supported prostheses than to t heir original conventional prostheses for all factors tested, includin g general satisfaction. However, no statistically significant differen ces between the two implant-supported prostheses were detected except for the difficulty of chewing carrot, apple, and sausage. For these fo ods, the fixed prostheses were rated higher. Subjects' responses to ca tegory scales were consistent with their responses to the visual analo gue scales. These results suggest that, although patients find the fix ed bridge to be significantly better for chewing harder foods, there i s no difference in their general satisfaction with the two types of pr ostheses.