Improving Oral Health Function With Implant Supported Partial Dentures

Distal extension Partial Removable Dental Prostheses (PRDPs) are less stable than tooth supported PRDPs due to progressive resorption of the alveolar ridge, which alters the retention and support generated by alveolar bone height. In addition, long-term wearers suffer with progressive alveolar ridge resorption that contributes to greater instability. The loss of stability and retention under the PRDP can lead to difficulties during mastication and swallowing, because of movement of the partial denture. These difficulties force patients to self-select food substances that are softer and easier to chew and possibly create changes in social eating. Therefore, having a partial denture that is poorly retentive will impact their oral health related quality of life Oral Health Related Quality of Life (OHRQoL). The placement of a dental implant into the edentulous area will transform a conventional PRDP into an Implant Supported PRDP, which will improve the functional capacity of partial denture wearers, especially their ability to comminute harder food substances such as fruits and nuts. The purpose of this study is to quantitatively measure the functional differences of patients wearing conventional PRDP with patients wearing implant supported PRDPs and Oral Health Impact of patients wearing implant supported PRDPs. The hypothesis is that patient wearing implant supported PRDPs will have greater functional capacity than patients wearing conventional PRDPs.