Supplementary Implants Supporting Conventional Removable Dental Prosthesis (RDPs) in Kennedy Class I

Changes in patient-reported outcome measures (PROM)

Assessment of patient's perception of function and oral health comparing conventional RPDs to implant-supported RPDs with and without retentive components in posterior sites of Kennedy Class I. PROMs are evaluated using the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP 14), i.e. the short form of OHIP with 14 items measuring oral health-related quality of life (OHQoL). The frequency of impairment in different areas (functional limitation, physical discomfort or disability, psychological discomfort or disability, social disability, and handicap) are indicated on a multi-level scale ("never"=0, "hardly"=1, "sometimes"=2, "often"=3, "very often"=4)

Time frame: assessment before implant placement, -1 week and 3 months after RPD insertion, 1 week and 3 months after connecting the implant components, 1 to 5 years after implant placement (5-year study period)

Changes in chewing efficiency

Assessment of the chewing Efficiency by masticating standardized fruit gum with three varying degree of hardness. A complete chewing function test comprises 9 chewing sequences: the different hardness of the model food is chewed once on the right, then on the left and finally on both sides. The study participants have 30 seconds for each chewing sequence and 30 seconds between each chewing sequence. Only one fruit gum is chewed per chewing sequence. The samples are placed on a defined area, photographed in standardized manner and analyzed with a computer program. The mean size and amounts of the chewed particles are calculated and determines the chewing efficiency

Time frame: assessment before implant placement, -1 week and 3 months after RPD insertion, 1 week and 3 months after connecting the implant components, 1 to 5 years after implant placement (5-year study period)