Patients Are Happy with Dental Implants
As the popularity of implant dentistry continues to grow, so too does research into patient satisfaction with dental implants as a tooth replacement therapy. It should probably come as no surprise that, when it comes to how patients feel about themselves and the way they look, their oral health and tooth loss has a direct effect on their self-esteem.
A 2011 study, printed in The International Journal of Oral & Maxillofacial Implants, has reinforced the belief that the use of dental implants as a tooth replacement therapy leads to greater satisfaction among virtually all dental patients.
In comparison to conventional prostheses, implant-supported prostheses are associated with better comfort, stability, and esthetics, and they have positive effects on patients’ oral health-related quality of life. Patients have considered implant-supported prostheses as an integral part of their bodies that noticeably improved their daily lives.
The study found that, while patients who were** dissatisfied with their teeth** reached a predictably high level of satisfaction after the placement of dental implants, perhaps more illuminating was that even among those patients who had claimed to be** relatively satisfied or satisfied with their dentition,** the placement of dental implants** increased** their levels of satisfaction! This was true among all of the categories measured: including, appearance, pain, oral comfort, general performance, and eating and chewing.
Further, while certain personality profiles did impact a patient’s level of satisfaction with the placement of dental implants, only those patients who evidenced a certain level of neuroticism struggled to find satisfaction with their new level of oral health. Virtually all other personality types showed increased satisfaction with their new teeth.
Again, while some of the conclusions in the study may seem self-evident, it is always gratifying to find clinical evidence that reinforces both expectations and personal experience. The levels of patient satisfaction we have seen in our office from the use of dental implants as a tooth replacement therapy more than reflect the conclusions of this study.
The doctors and staff at the The Colorado Center for Implants and Prosthetic Dentistry, are your full-service Littleton dental implants specialist and are experts in all types of tooth replacement therapy. If you would like more information on your family’s dental needs, make an appointment today.