Mohammad Dhaifallah Al Amri.
Patients` satisfaction for two treatment modalities in single tooth replacement.
J Pak Dent Assoc Jan ;17(3):131-8.

The aim of this study was to investigate the patients` perception and level of satisfaction of two treatment modalities in replacing a single missing tooth, namely single dental implant or three-unit fixed partial denture (FPD). I PATIENTS AND METHODS: A sample of 100 patients were randomly selected from King Fahad general hospital (40 patients) and from a private clinic in Riyadh city (60 patients). Sociodemographic information was gathered by interviewing all the patients. The age ranged from 20 to 80 years with 1:1 male to female ratio. Subjects were asked to answer a questionnaire of 10 multiple choice questions covering aspects of function, chewing comfort, phonetics, aesthetics, oral hygiene practice, bleeding of the gums, cost, and general satisfaction. The questionnaire form was designed according to the WHO criteria. The answers were given by the patients on their own with no interference of a second person. The questions were answered using a three-grade categorizing scale. Statistical analysis was done using the 12th version of the Statistical Package for Social Sciences program. The descriptive findings were-presented and frequency distributions were generated for pooled data. Chi-square test was used to test the effect of gender on the type of treatment while t-test was used to test for statistical difference in responses between the two treatment modalities at a 95% confidence level. I RESULTS: The majority of patients with implants were satisfied with chewing, phonetics and aesthetics (82%, 68% and 84%, respectively). FPD was less accepted by the patients (10%, 46% and 6%, respectively). Sixty-four percent of the patients with implants had no problems with cleansing the restoration compared to 14% of patients with FPD. Generally, implant patients had higher satisfaction than patients with FPD (86% and 10%, respectively). The cost of treatment was justified by 88% of the implant patients and 20% of patients with FPD. CONCLUSION: Sociodemographic factors affected the patients` selection and satisfaction. Both implants and fixed partial dentures are acceptable treatment modalities by the patients. Most of the implant patients were functionally and aesthetically satisfied with implant therapy. In general, patients treated with FPD were less satisfied than the implant patients.

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