Implant-retained mandibular overdentures compared with complete dentures; a 5-years' follow-up study of clinical aspects and patient satisfaction

The aim of this prospective randomized controlled clinical trial was to eva luate and compare clinical aspects and satisfaction during the first year f ollowing treatment and consecutively the change in treatment during the nex t 4 years of follow-up. Patients were allocated to one of the following tre atment modalities: an implant-retained overdenture (IRO-group, 2 endosseous implants, n = 61) or a complete denture (CD-group, n = 60). One year after placement of the denture, unsatisfied patients of the CD-group got the opp ortunity for a retreatment including an implant-retained overdenture. In th e IRO-group 4 implants were lost during the first year and again 4 implants were lost during the next 4 years (survival rate: 93%). All patients could be re-operated successfully. In the CD-group 14 patients (23%) chose an im plant-retained overdenture after 1 year. Patients of the IRO-group were sig nificantly more satisfied than patients of the CD-group after 1 year (satis faction score 8.3 versus 6.6, scale 1-10) and after 5 years (7.4 versus 6.4 ). From this study it can be concluded that endosseous implants have a high survival rate after 5-years' follow-up. Satisfaction score of the IRO-grou p is diminishing in time, probably because patients get used to an improved situation. After 5 years, the mean satisfaction score of the CD-group (inc luding patients who got implants) was still lower than of the IRO-group, in spite of the opportunity to a retreatment and have implant-retained overde ntures.