Les attentes, la satisfaction et la qualité de vie des édentés suite à une réhabilitation par mise en charge immédiate d'une prothèse totale reliée à deux implants non jumelés : une étude pilote expérimentale

Statement of problem: Most published research on the immediate loading of a mandibular 2-implant overdenture has only reported on clinical outcomes. Few studies have evaluated patients centered-outcomes but with measurement errors. Consequently, there is a need to assess clinical and patient-reported outcomes in this regard. Objectives: To examine patients’ level of satisfaction, expectations and quality of life with regard to the implants’ immediate loading protocol in edentate individuals.  Methods: This phase-I trial used a pre-post design to assess patient-centered outcomes in 18 edentate individuals (mean age 62.39 ± 7.65 years) who have received a 2-implant (unsplinted) mandibular overdenture through an immediate loading protocol. The McGill Denture Satisfaction Instrument, a VAS instrument assessing expectations and the OHIP-20 questionnaire were used to evaluate patients’ outcomes at baseline, 2 weeks, 1 and 4 months. Socio-demographic and personality trait data were obtained using the Revised NEO Personality Inventory and a self-administered questionnaire. Change scores were calculated and non-parametrical tests were used to analyse the data. Repeated measures ANOVAs and paired t-tests were also conducted, and effect size was estimated. Results: The participants had a wide range of expectations regarding the immediate loading protocol. Expectations included short-term positive impact on aesthetics (83.3 %) and social life (55.7 %). Other expectations included negative effects on comfort (5.6%), the ability to chew (11.1 %) and to clean their lower denture (11.1%). At 4 months, the immediate loading protocol had met most patients’ expectations regarding aesthetics (94.4%), the ability to chew (83.3%), ability to speak (61.1%), comfort (94.4%), the ability to clean their lower denture (88.9%) and their social life (88.9%).  The statistical analysis showed an overall satisfaction increase with a median change score of 66 (range=7-98), 68 (range=7- 95), and 70 (range= 17- 99), at 2 weeks, 1 month and 4 months respectively. There was a statistically significant improvement in overall satisfaction, comfort, perceived aesthetics, stability of the overdenture, and ability to chew at 2 weeks (p < 0,001). Pairwise comparison (within-subjects comparisons) revealed significant decreases in total OHIP scores (P < 0.001), as well as fewer functional limitations, physical pain, psychological discomfort, physical disability, psychological disability, and handicap (P < 0.01) from baseline to 2 weeks, 1 month and 4 months follow-up. Social disability score decrease significantly only after 1 month follow-up (p = 0.01). These changes remained stable during subsequent follow-ups. The protocol satisfied 94.4% of the participants and improve their quality of life with an estimated effect size of 1.9 (p < 0.001), regardless of socio-demographic and personality profiles. There was 100% agreement among patients on recommending this procedure to their peers. Conclusions: Immediate loading of two unsplinted implants with a mandibular overdenture seemed to fulfill patients’ satisfaction regardless of their expectations and may improve oral health-related quality life of edentate individuals in short-term. Encouraging results from phase I should be confirmed and approved in Phase II clinical trials.

Keyphrases: Clinical trial, Immediate-loading, Patient based-outcomes, Dental implant, Mandibular overdenture