Success Rate of Dental Implant Therapy by Novice General Dentist

Objectives: To evaluate the clinical success and patient satisfaction when dental implant supported mandibular over dentures are placed and restored by novice AEGD residents.

Methods: : 50 subjects, 18 years or older and dissatisfied with their mandibular complete dentures  were enrolled in the study. At baseline, (screening) all subjects were asked to evaluate their prosthesis for denture retention, comfort, speech, and overall satisfaction and other health related quality of life (HRQL) issues (Vervorin et al 1988; Buuma et al 1997; Quiranen  2005) using a VAS scale. If not satisfied, the denture was relined and the subjects reevaluated 6 weeks later. If they still were dissatisfied two dental implants were placed in the anterior mandible between the mental foramina, by AEGD residents with no clinical experience in placing/restoring dental implants  under direct supervision.The resident attached the denture to the implants 3-4 months later using locator attachments. To determine success  bone loss, mobility, gingival index, pocket depth  and plaque index were measured and subjects were requested to complete a questionnaire regarding satisfaction with the prosthesis at 3 months, 1 year and 2 years.

Results:   90 implants have been placed in 45 subjects. Of these 2 implants have been lost in one subject and one subject is deceased (98 % successrate). Of the 43 remaining subjects 40 have had their implants restored with over dentures. The follow up time ranges from 3 months to two years. The subjects overall satisfactions with fit and their ability to bite and chew hard food with their mandibular dentures have improved significantly (p<0.05) after the denture was attached to the dental implants.

Conclusions: Within the limitations of this study directly supervised novice AEGD residents can successfully place and restore two mandibular implants, enhancing the subjects’ satisfaction with their mandibular dentures.