Effect of treatment with implant-supported fixed partial dentures on oral health-related quality of life in patients with unilateral shortened dental arch

Implant-supported fixed partial dentures (IFPDs) are a treatment option for partially edentulous dentition with missing posterior-most molars despite the concept of a shortened dental arch (SDA). This study aimed to evaluate the effect of IFPD treatment on oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) in patients with unilateral SDA missing two adjacent molars and to compare the effects of single- and two-unit IFPDs. Forty patients with unilateral SDA missing two adjacent molars (Kennedy Class II) participated in this study; 11 patients received one implant placement in the first molar and were treated with a single-unit IFPD (single-unit group), and 29 received two implant placements and were treated with a two-unit IFPD (two-unit group). The Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP) questionnaire for OHRQoL assessment and the gummy jelly test for objective masticatory performance were administered before and after IFPD treatment. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test for all patients and Mann–Whitney U test were performed for pre- and post-treatment comparisons and between-group comparisons, respectively. The OHIP summary score and gummy jelly glucose concentration in all patients showed significant improvements after treatment (all P