Transitioning From Conventional Dentures to Implant‐Retained Overdentures in the Edentulous Maxilla: A Systematic Review on Patient‐Reported and Clinician‐Reported Outcomes

BACKGROUND: This study aims to examine commonly used patient-reported outcomes (PROs) and outcome measures (PROMs) alongside clinician-reported outcomes (ClinROs) in individuals with an edentulous maxilla initially rehabilitated with conventional complete dentures (CDs) and later transitioned to implant-retained overdentures (IODs). MATERIAL AND METHODS: An electronic search of three databases and a manual search were conducted for relevant articles between January 2014 and June 2024. Eligible studies included patients with an edentulous maxilla or those scheduled for extraction of all maxillary teeth, treated with CDs and subsequently transitioned to IODs, and reported PROs and ClinROs. RESULTS: Nine articles, including five randomized controlled trials and four prospective cohort studies, were selected for descriptive analyses. Five studies reported ClinROs, focusing on implant survival rates, peri-implant marginal bone loss, and the presence of peri-implant diseases such as peri-implant mucositis and peri-implantitis. PROs varied across studies, with assessments including oral health-related quality of life, patient satisfaction, and specific PROs such as comfort, stability, ability to chew, speech, and esthetics. Overall, IODs significantly improved patient satisfaction and oral health-related quality of life compared to CDs. CONCLUSION: For patients initially rehabilitated with conventional CDs and later transitioned to IODs, oral health-related quality of life is the most frequently reported PRO, followed by patient satisfaction. Regarding ClinROs, the implant survival rate is the most commonly investigated outcome, with peri-implant marginal bone loss, denture survival rate, and prosthetic complications being the next most frequently reported ClinROs. Additionally, implant complications and the presence of peri-implant diseases are commonly documented.