The impact of oral rehabilitation with implants in nutrition and quality of life: A questionnaire-based survey on self-perception

Abstract

Background: The association between tooth loss and masticatory problems may influence on food choices and consequently impact nutrition and quality of life. This study aimed to evaluate impact of oral rehabilitation with implants in nutrition and quality of life. Material and methods: A prospective study was performed. The Questionnaire for Healthy Habits (QHH) and the Oral Health Impact Profile-14 (OHIP-14) tools were used to assess nutrition and oral health status, respectively. Oral implants were placed and the adjacent the bone was radiographically assessed. The mean outcomes of the QHH between pre- and post-rehabilitation periods were assessed with the Wilcoxon Signed Rank test. The OHIP- 14 was assessed using Fisher's exact test. Results: The implant surfaces showed a significant bone loss after six and 24 months of rehabilitation (p < 0.001). There was no significant change in the masticatory pattern of patients (p > 0.05). Nevertheless, the patients perceived a significant reduction in discomfort (p < 0.02) when eating, after 24 months of the rehabilitation. Conclusions: These findings confirm the hypothesis that oral rehabilitation with implants may not trigger direct improvement in nutrition. However, it plays an especial role improving quality of life.