Purpose: To evaluate patient satisfaction and prosthetic complications of maxillary conventional dentures and implant overdentures opposing mandibular implant overdentures with different attachments.
Materials and methods: A total of 60 patients with maxillary conventional dentures (maxillary CD) and mandibular two-implant overdentures received four implants in the maxilla. The implants were connected to the maxillary overdentures with a stud attachment (maxillary OD). The participants were classified into three groups according to the type of mandibular overdenture attachment: bar overdentures (BOD, n = 20), resilient telescopic overdentures (TOD, n = 20), and resilient stud/Locator overdentures (LOD, n = 20). Patient satisfaction (using a visual analog scale [VAS] and oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL)] and prosthetic/soft tissue complications were evaluated for maxillary CD and maxillary OD after 1 year of insertion.
Results: LOD showed higher VAS and oral health impact profile (OHIP-14) scores with maxillary CD and maxillary OD than BOD and TOD except for ease of chewing (VAS) and satisfactory diet (OHIP-7). For maxillary CD, TOD showed a significantly higher frequency of prosthetic and soft tissue complications than BOD and LOD. For all groups, maxillary OD showed significantly higher patient satisfaction regarding VAS and OHIP-14 scores, and lower prosthetic and soft tissue complications than the maxillary CD.
Conclusion: Locator-retained maxillary overdentures opposing mandibular implant overdentures improved patient satisfaction and reduced prosthetic complications compared to conventional maxillary dentures. Such overdentures are best opposed by Locator-retained mandibular overdentures, as they increase patient satisfaction and reduce prosthetic and soft tissue complications compared to the bar and telescopic attachments.