RESUMEN
Abstract The aim of this non-randomized controlled clinical trial was to evaluate the oral health-related quality of life and masticatory efficiency of patients rehabilitated with mandibular two-implant overdentures with immediate loading or conventional dentures. Fifty completely edentulous patients wearing bimaxillary conventional dentures, for at least one year, were recruited. The patients were then assigned to either two treatment groups: mandibular overdentures supported by two implants with bar-clip system and a maxillary conventional denture (n = 25), and new maxillary and mandibular conventional complete dentures (n = 25). Masticatory efficiency and oral health-related quality of life were assessed before and 3 months after denture insertion. The Brazilian version of OHIP-Edent questionnaire was used to assess the oral health-related quality of life. Masticatory efficiency was evaluated with chewing capsules through a colorimetric method. The results revealed fewer oral health-related quality of life problems in patients wearing mandibular two-implant overdentures compared to the conventional dentures group. In addition, the implant overdenture group presented statistically significant improvement in masticatory efficiency (p = 0.001). There was no correlation between masticatory efficiency and OHIP in the implant group (p > 0.05), however a correlation was found in the conventional denture group (p < 0.05). Therefore, these short-term results suggest that mandibular overdenture retained by 2 implants with immediate loading combined with maxillary conventional dentures provide better masticatory efficiency and oral health-related quality of life than mandibular conventional dentures.