Evaluating Oral Health-Related Quality of Life in Patients Receiving Implants and the Factors Affecting it

Background and Purpose: Today, one of the most effective and appropriate treatment strategies for edentulous areas is the use of dental implants to improve esthetics and chewing, which may affect the oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) in patients. This study aimed to investigate the impact of dental implant treatment on OHRQoL in patients referred to specialized private practices. Materials and Methods: In this retrospective study, 349 patients who underwent dental implant procedures in private practices of maxillofacial surgeons or periodontists in Sari from 2018 to 2022 were randomly selected. These patients were asked to complete the OHIP-14 questionnaire to evaluate their OHRQoL. The variables of age, gender, implant site, and the number of implants were examined in relation to quality of life. Based on the average scores from the questionnaire, each patient was categorized into one of the following groups: very good (0–11), good (12–22), average (23–34), bad (35–45), and very bad (46–56). The data were then analyzed using an independent t-test, ANOVA, and multiple regression tests, with a significance level set at P=0.05. Results: A total of 325 questionnaires were completed, with 167 (51.4%) patients being female, and the mean age of the participants was 44.18 ± 8.46 years. The overall mean OHRQoL after implant treatment was good (16.80±3.56). In total, 98.8% of the patients reported good OHRQoL, while only 1.2% reported poor OHRQoL. Significant differences were found between the number of implants, implant site, time elapsed since implant treatment, and gender in relation to OHRQoL (P<0.001, P=0.025, P=0.048, and P<0.001, respectively). Patients with a higher number of implants had lower OHRQoL, and those who had received implants more than three years prior had better OHRQoL compared to those treated within the last three years. Furthermore, the average OHRQoL was higher in women than in men. OHRQoL was also lower in older patients compared to younger ones (P<0.001). The number of implants, with a standard beta coefficient of 0.450, had the highest regression effect on OHRQoL. Conclusion: OHRQoL in patients with implants in both jaws was significantly lower than in those with implants only in the upper or lower jaw. As the duration since implant treatment increases, OHRQoL decreases significantly. OHRQoL was higher in women and younger patients. Among the influencing factors, the number of implants had the greatest impact on OHRQoL, while age and gender had the least influence.