Influence of occlusal factors on treatment outcome: a study of 109 consecutive patients with mandibular implant-supported fixed prostheses opposing maxillary complete dentures.

PURPOSE: This study was undertaken to investigate the relationship between occlusal variables and clinical and radiologic findings as well as patient response to treatment outcome in patients with mandibular implant-supported fixed prostheses opposing maxillary complete dentures.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study group consisted of 109 consecutive patients attending for annual control. They had received their mandibular implant-supported prostheses according to the Brånemark system on average 8 years previously (range 1 to 27 years). All patients were interviewed with standardized questions by one examiner, who also performed the clinical examination. The questions focused on the patients' opinion on masticatory and prosthetic function and problems. The clinical examination comprised occlusal and prosthetic factors and the health of the oral mucosa.
RESULTS: The great majority of the patients were very satisfied with their present dental situation and masticatory function. Two thirds reported no problems with their maxillary complete dentures at all. Balanced occlusion was found bilaterally in 61%, and a further 4% had balanced function on one side. More than one third thus lacked balanced occlusion. Only about 60% had optimal occlusion, and 8% had poor occlusion according to common prosthodontic criteria. This was interpreted as a continuing impairment of the occlusion with time. The mean bone loss was 0.5 mm, according to available radiographs, for a mean observation period of 54 months. There were no or only weak correlations between the variables examined.
CONCLUSION: The occlusal factors registered were of limited importance for patient satisfaction and treatment outcome recorded clinically and radiographically at follow-up examination of the actual prosthodontic rehabilitation.