Patient‐based outcomes with conventional or mini‐implants immediately loaded with locator‐retained mandibular overdentures: A cohort study

Background Little is known on the effect of varying implant diameters, especially with mini implants (ie, less than 3 mm in diameter), on oral health‐related quality of life (OHrQoL). Purpose To compare OHrQoL and satisfaction in patients with mandibular overdentures immediately retained by either two conventional or two mini‐implants. Materials and methods Edentulous patients receiving immediately loaded overdentures retained by Locators on either two conventional diameter (4.1 mm) or two mini (2.9 mm or less) implants were selected based on available buccal‐lingual ridge width in the intraforaminal area. Two questionnaires were used (Oral Health Impact Profile‐14 [OHIP‐14]; and Denture Satisfaction Questionnaire [DSQ]) to determine OHrQoL and overall denture satisfaction. Questionnaires were filled out at six different time points up to a 1‐year follow‐up. Mann‐Whitney U test was used for group comparisons. Friedman and Wilcoxon tests were used to identify changes within group along the time points. Correlation between OHIP‐14 and DSQ was assessed with Spearman test. Results A total of 48 patients were analyzed and equally distributed to each group. The conventional group presented a significantly smaller change of OHIP functional score from the baseline to the first week of follow‐up after surgery (P = .017). In addition, total DSQ scores were significantly higher for the conventional group at 12 weeks (P = .022) and there was a significant difference between groups in satisfaction with mandibular prosthesis at 24 weeks (P = .034). Correlation between OHIP‐14 and DSQ was not significant (P > .05). Individual results of each group (ie, within group analysis) over all assessed time points revealed a significant OHrQoL (P = .001 for conventional, P = .006 for mini‐implants) and satisfaction (P < .001 for both groups) improvement in both groups. Conclusion Mandibular overdentures retained by two conventional or mini‐implants lead to a significant and comparable improvements in OHrQoL and satisfaction over a 1‐year follow‐up.