Patient self-reported satisfaction with maxillary anterior dental implant treatment.
OBJECTIVE
Dental implants are accepted as a successful alternative to conventional fixed and removable prostheses for the treatment of partial or complete edentulism. However, there have been few studies of the success of implants from the patients' perspective. The purpose of this study was to assess patient overall satisfaction with the outcome of treatment with maxillary anterior implants.


METHODS
A self-administered mailed questionnaire, which was developed for this project, and a data abstraction form, which was designed based on information available from the corresponding dental records of 123 eligible subjects, were utilized to survey implant patients.


RESULTS
Seventy-eight of 123 eligible subjects responded to the mailed, self-administered, structured questionnaire. Twelve of the 24 questionnaire variables demonstrated statistically significant bivariate associations with the dependent variable "overall patient satisfaction." Five variables--implant position, definitive restoration shape, appearance, effect on speech, and chewing capacity--were strongly associated with overall satisfaction. No demographic or treatment-related, dental record-abstracted variable, of the 25 that were examined, was statistically significant.


CONCLUSIONS
The practitioner who provides implant restorations should be aware of the multidimensional aspects of patient satisfaction with implant treatment. This study suggests that patient satisfaction with key elements influences the overall acceptance of maxillary anterior implant prostheses, which are esthetically critical. Communication between dentist and patient is important to achieve optimal results that will be satisfactory to both. Discussion of treatment limitations may also help patients to develop realistic expectations of the final result.


CONCLUSIONS
In this limited investigation, patient satisfaction with implant position, restoration shape, overall appearance, effect on speech, and chewing capacity were critical for patient overall acceptance of the dental implant treatment.
Levi
Anna
A
Department of Prosthodontics, University of Athens Dental School, Athens, Greece. levi@lar.forthnet.gr
Psoter
Walter J
WJ
Agar
John R
JR
Reisine
Susan T
ST
Taylor
Thomas D
TD
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003142:Communication; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D015921:Dental Implants / Q000523:psychology; D017267:Dental Prosthesis Design; D019094:Dental Prosthesis, Implant-Supported; D003812:Dentist-Patient Relations; D004955:Esthetics, Dental; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008409:Mastication / Q000502:physiology; D008437:Maxilla / Q000601:surgery*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D013060:Speech / Q000502:physiology; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D015921:Dental Implants