title: A 3-year longitudinal study of quality-of-life outcomes of elderly patients with implant- and tooth-supported fixed partial dentures in posterior dental regions.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Clinical studies have mainly been focused on oral health-related quality-of-life (OHRQoL) outcomes of removable dentures.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate therapy of elderly patients with implant-supported fixed partial dentures (IFPD) and tooth-supported fixed partial dentures (FPD) in the posterior dental regions.
  
  
  METHODS
  The OHIP49 was used to measure OHRQoL in 64 patients with IFPD and 38 patients with FPD, before, 3 weeks and 3 years after rehabilitation. A control group (CG) consisted of 62 individuals.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The Oral Health Impact Profile questionnaire (OHIP) follow-up scores of the patients with FPD and the patients with IFPD were significantly smaller in comparison with the baseline scores (p < 0.01). The OHIP scores were further reduced at the 3-year follow-up. The patients with IFPD had significantly higher scores than the patients with FPD and the CG at the baseline and at the follow-ups. In the patients with FPD, both age groups (≤60 and >60) showed equal improvement of the OHRQoL. In the IFPD group, patients older than 60 years showed better improvement (p < 0.05). There were no significant differences dependent on gender and antagonistic teeth (p > 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The FPD and the IFPD treatment showed significant improvement of OHRQoL. The FPD treatment improved OHRQoL equally in both age groups, while the IFPD treatment improved OHRQoL better in older patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Prosthodontics, School of Dental Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia. petricevic@sfzg.hr
authors.forename: Nikola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Petricevic
authors.forename: Asja
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Celebic
authors.forename: Ksenija
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Rener-Sitar
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D003442:Crowns; D000044:Dental Abutments; D015921:Dental Implants; D003776:Dental Porcelain / Q000737:chemistry; D019094:Dental Prosthesis, Implant-Supported; D003779:Denture Design; D003830:Denture, Partial, Fixed; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007576:Jaw, Edentulous, Partially / Q000534:rehabilitation / Q000601:surgery; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D016876:Metal Ceramic Alloys / Q000737:chemistry; D008875:Middle Aged; D009909:Oral Health; D010147:Pain Measurement; D011788:Quality of Life; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D015921:Dental Implants; C095718:Duceram; D016876:Metal Ceramic Alloys; D003776:Dental Porcelain