A randomized clinical trial comparing the efficacy of mandibular implant-supported overdentures and conventional dentures in diabetic patients. Part V: food preference comparisons.

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

The functional benefits of replacing old dentures with new conventional mandibular dentures or implant-supported overdentures has not been fully determined.

PURPOSE

This study assessed the impact of these 2 types of replacement dentures on the food choices of diabetic patients.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A total of 68 diabetic patients with original complete dentures participated in this study. Diabetes was controlled with insulin in 38 patients (IT) and without insulin in 30 patients (NIT). All subjects received conventional maxillary dentures; 25 received mandibular conventional dentures (CD), and 43 received overdentures with plastic clips and a Hader bar attached to 2 osseointegrated implants (IOD). Subjects rated their perceptions of taste acceptability, texture acceptability, and chewing ease on a 4-point nominal scale and eating frequency on a 5-point scale for 13 specific foods at baseline (with original dentures) and at 6 months post-treatment completion (PTC). Fisher exact tests were used to compare the change in percentage distributions of responses with treatment. A 2 x 2 x 2 repeated-measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed to compare mean scores between the 2 denture groups, 2 diabetic groups, and 2 time intervals for each of the 13 foods and 4 questions related to food acceptability.

RESULTS

At baseline, no significant differences were found between the frequency distributions of responses in the CD and IOD groups or the IT and NIT groups for all 52 comparisons. With both types of study dentures, a higher percentage of patients perceived deterioration rather than improvement in function. When percentage distributions based on actual positive or negative change (treatment effect) in patient responses were compared, significant differences were found for 3 of the 52 responses, in favor of the IOD group. ANOVA demonstrated significant mean differences for 4 of the 52 comparisons.

CONCLUSION

Both types of study dentures resulted in declines in the perceived taste and texture acceptability of almost all test foods. Declines in perceived chewing ease and eating frequency were more common and greater in the CD than in the IOD group. Both types of study dentures failed to affect food choices, as evidenced by declines or limited improvement in the perceived frequency with which most foods were eaten.