Patients’ psychosocial well-being and self-reported satisfaction following single implant therapy in Lagos, Nigeria

Introduction: Missing teeth which is one of the main reasons for dental visitation affect individuals in various ways. While some individuals are unaffected by having a missing tooth, others have reduced self-confidence, become anxious and some ultimately become depressed. This study aims to determine the satisfaction of patients as well as their psychosocial wellbeing following single implant therapy. Materials and Methods: This is a longitudinal, interventional clinical study. Subjects were recruited using non-probability sampling methods. Data was collected using self-administered questionnaires distributed to patients at two phases of treatment. Baseline data was collected at the time of treatment planning and at six months following implant placement. Data analysis was done using Statistical package for the social sciences (SPSS) version 20. Results: A total of 42 subjects were recruited into this study comprising equal numbers of males and females. A comparison of the baseline data and data collected at six months revealed that most subjects (n=41, 97.6%) had an overall positive reaction to the treatment. Also, an improvement in self-confidence was observed in 78.6% (n=33) of subjects. Regarding patients' satisfaction following treatment, 76.2% (n=32) of the subjects were very satisfied with the outcome of the implants. All respondents (n=42, 100%) were however willing to recommend implant therapy for other individuals seeking to replace their missing tooth/teeth. Conclusion: Dental implant therapy is a rehabilitative treatment option that provides remarkable improvement in patients' psychosocial wellbeing and the overall patient satisfaction with the treatment is high.