The potential benefits of dental implants on the oral health quality of life of people with Parkinson's disease

To investigate how dental implants impact on the oral health quality of life of people with Parkinson's disease (PD). PD is a progressive neurological disorder that can result in a number of oral health care challenges, including denture difficulties. Lack of evidence related to use of implants in PD prompted this study to investigate their use in this group of people. Nine people with PD were provided with either fixed or removable prostheses using Astra-Tech implants. Participants completed the socio-dental questionnaire, 'The Dental Impact on Daily Living Assessment' (DIDL) prior to implant surgery, and at 3 and 12 months after provision of the final prosthesis. DIDL comprises two components - the Oral Health Quality of Life Inventory (OH-QoL) and the Self-Reported Assessment of Oral Health and Functional Status (SROH). Nine people (with an age range of 54-77 years) had implants placed. The implant success rate was 85 and 81% in the maxilla and mandible, respectively. The OH-QoL and SROH results (analysed using the one-way analysis of variance and pairwise multiple comparisons) demonstrated a significant improvement in the domains of eating and satisfaction with the prosthesis after 3 months, which was maintained at the twelve month review. The OH-QoL indicated a gradual improvement in oral well-being over the 12-month period. The oral health quality of life of people with PD was improved by the use of dental implants, indicating this as a viable treatment option.