Purpose: To compare masticatory efficiency (ME) as an indicator for difference between bar-assisted overdenture versus fixed detachable denture wearers and an indicator for the effect of gender and period of edentulism.
Materials and Methods: Twenty patients, 11 males and 9 females, were divided into two groups. Group I received fixed detachable overdenture assisted by four implants mounted by the all-on-four concept. Group II received mandibular implant overdenture assisted by extended ball-bar overdenture. ME was measured after 3 months of denture insertion (T1), six months (T2), and one year (T3).
Result: there was a significant increase of ME between both prosthetic design groups at T1 (p=0.004). In group I, there was a significant increase in ME through all time intervals (p<0.01 and p=0.027 for T1-T2, T1-T3, and T2-T3 respectively. For group II, there was a significant increase in ME between T1-T2 (p=0.031). At T3, there was a significant increase in ME for patients kept edentulous for less than a year before restoration and two-year edentulous patients before restoration ( p< 0.01 and p = 0.02, respectively). Also, there was a significant increase in ME for two-year edentulous patients compared to patients who stayed more than two years edentulous before restoration (p=0.02). Males revealed an increase of ME at T3 compared to female groups (p< 0.001).
Conclusion: Within the limitation of the study, ME revealed a better prognosis with fixed detachable denture wearers. Male has better ME prognosis. ME revealed better prognosis with patients have shorter period of edentulism before denture insertion.