title: Within-Subject Comparison of Maxillary Implant-Supported Overdentures with and without Palatal Coverage.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to compare patient-reported outcomes for maxillary implant-supported overdentures with and without palatal coverage.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-one maxillary edentulous patients (six women, 15 men) were included. In total, 42 implants were inserted in the anterior maxilla. All patients received implant-supported overdentures on two retentive anchors with palatal coverage for 2 months. Thereafter, patient satisfaction was assessed by means of questionnaires capturing the oral health impact profile (OHIP) on functional limitation, physical pain, psychological discomfort, physical, psychological and social disability, and handicap. Additionally, cleaning ability, general satisfaction, speech, comfort, esthetics, stability, and chewing ability were rated. Subsequently, palatal coverage was reduced, and the patients wore the overdentures for another 2 months. Patient satisfaction was obtained in the same way as above, and the evaluated parameters were compared for the two overdenture designs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no significant differences between implant-supported overdentures with and without palatal coverage for any of the OHIP domains. The evaluation of additional parameters revealed significantly higher patient satisfaction for esthetics (mean difference 8.8 mm ± 24.6) and taste (mean difference 28.4 mm ± 29.9) without palatal coverage, p < .01.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Within the limits of this study, maxillary overdentures supported by two implants were equally satisfactory with and without palatal coverage.
authors.affiliation: Division of Fixed Prosthodontics, School of Dental Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.|Department of Oral Implantology and Prosthetic Dentistry, Academic Center for Dentistry Amsterdam (ACTA), Move Research Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Anja
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zembic
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Implantology and Prosthetic Dentistry, Academic Center for Dentistry Amsterdam (ACTA), Move Research Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tahmaseb
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Implantology and Prosthetic Dentistry, Academic Center for Dentistry Amsterdam (ACTA), Move Research Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wismeijer
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D019094:Dental Prosthesis, Implant-Supported; D003828:Denture, Overlay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007575:Jaw, Edentulous / Q000534:rehabilitation; D008297:Male; D008437:Maxilla; D008875:Middle Aged; D010159:Palate; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: clinical trial; complete; dental implants; dental prosthesis; denture; edentulous; implant-supported; jaw; maxilla; palate; patient satisfaction; quality of life; upper