Implant overdentures for edentulous elders: study of patient preference.
BACKGROUND
Studies show that elders wearing implant overdentures have improved nutrition and quality of life. However, upfront costs of this therapy are high, and the income of elderly edentulous populations is low.


OBJECTIVE
This study was designed (i) to measure the preferences of edentulous patients for mandibular two-implant overdentures using Willingness-To-Pay (WTP) and Willingness-To-Accept (WTA), (ii) to assess the effect of long-term financing on WTP and (iii) to assess the desired role of health care plans in financing dental prostheses.


METHODS
Edentulous elders (68-79 years; n = 36) wearing maxillary dentures and either a mandibular conventional denture (CD, n = 13) or a two-implant overdenture with ball attachments (IOD, n = 23) participated in this study. All had received their prostheses 2 years previously, as part of a randomised clinical trial. A three-part questionnaire was completed during a 20-min interview with a trained researcher.


RESULTS
Forty-six per cent (6/13) of the CD wearers and 70% (16/23) of the IOD wearers were willing to pay three times more than the current cost of conventional dentures for implant prostheses. These percentages were increased to 77% (CD) and 96% (IOD) if participants could pay for implant overdentures in monthly instalments. Eighty-six per cent (31/36) of all participants in both groups (21/23 IOD; 10/13 CD) thought that the government should cover at least some of the cost of implant overdentures.


CONCLUSIONS
This study shows that, the majority of elderly edentate individuals who have not experienced mandibular two-implant overdenture therapy are willing to pay the cost, particularly when payment can be made in monthly instalments.
Esfandiari
Shahrokh
S
Faculty of Dentistry, McGill University, Oral Health & Society Research Unit, Quebec, Canada. shahrokh.esfandiari@mcgill.ca
Lund
James P
JP
Penrod
John R
JR
Savard
André
A
Thomason
J Mark
JM
Feine
Jocelyne S
JS
D000368:Aged; D001294:Attitude to Health; D017047:Cost Sharing; D015921:Dental Implants / Q000523:psychology*; D019094:Dental Prosthesis, Implant-Supported / Q000523:psychology*; D003781:Denture Retention; D003826:Denture, Complete, Lower; D003828:Denture, Overlay; D005260:Female; D005380:Financing, Government; D005382:Financing, Personal / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D007348:Insurance, Health; D008297:Male; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D010350:Patient Credit and Collection; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
D015921:Dental Implants