Dental Implants improve lives of Postmenopausal Women with Osteoporosis

It is known that postmenopausal women with osteoporosis have higher risk of losing their teeth, but a new study suggests that dental implants can provide the highest satisfaction in such cases.

The study was conducted by Case Western Reserve University School of Dental Medicine.

According to Leena Palomo, associate professor of periodontics and corresponding author of 'Dental Implant Supported Restorations Improve the Quality of Life in Osteoporotic Women', dental implants may be the best path to take in such cases.

Findings of the research were published in the Journal of international Dentistry. The research is part of a series of studies analyzing dental outcomes for women with osteoporosis.

Researchers surveyed 237 women about their satisfaction with replacement teeth and how it improved their lives at work and in social situations.

The 23-question survey rated satisfaction about work, health, emotional and sexual aspects of their lives.

As per experts, osteoporotic women with one or more adjacent teeth missing were chosen for the study.

The women had gotten restoration work done, like implants, fixed partial denture, which is a false tooth, cemented to crowns of two teeth, a removal denture, better known as false teeth, or had no restoration work done.

Christine DeBaz, a third-year Case Western Reserve dental student, said women with dental implants reported a higher overall satisfaction with their lives.

Fixed dentures were the next best alternative for the highest satisfaction, followed by false teeth and, finally, women with no restoration work.

Women with dental implants also reported the highest satisfaction in emotional and sexual areas, while those without restorations scored the lowest in those two areas, found the study.