Patient Perception and Oral Function of Implant-supported Restorations Replacing Posterior Teeth

Hypotheses

• No difference in patient perception of mastication and OHRQoL between no treatment, RDPs and implant-supported crowns in the posterior region
• No difference between two different digital techniques (T-scan and 3D Intraoral scanning) in measuring the occlusal contact points and area.
• No difference in biological and technical outcomes between splinted and non-splinted implant-supported crowns

Material and methods. Participants Partially edentulous subjects with missing posterior teeth (Kennedy class I or class II) in the upper or lower jaw, in need for fixed implant-supported crowns to replace the missing teeth are offered to be enrolled if they fulfill the following inclusion criteria. The participants must be in good health and with no contraindications for undergoing dento-alveolar surgery.

Subjects presenting with the following conditions will be excluded from the study:

• Untreated or active, progressive periodontitis
• Intake of (high dose) antiresorptive medicine or earlier medication related osteonecrosis of the jaw
• Therapeutic radiation to the head and neck
• Uncontrolled diabetes or systemic corticosteroids
• Heavy smoking (>20 cigarettes/day)
• An inability to open the mouth wide enough to place implants
• Decayed or unrestored anterior/premolar teeth
• Need for major bone augmentation (e.g., bone block graft, extensive augmentations with second operation for implant insertion)
• < 8 mm bone height to the alveolar nerve or sinus maxillaris
• Parafunctional habits or untreated temporomandibular dysfunctions or orofacial pain
• Unable to cooperate or too ill to complete the experiment
• Lack of signed informed consent A participant, who no longer wishes to participate in the trial, can withdraw her/his informed consent at any time. Withdrawn subjects can give information of which aspects of the trial she/he wishes to withdraw from.