Objectives
To gather perspectives from patients and cross-disciplinary experts on treatment practices and outcomes in managing the edentulous maxilla to inform a structured consensus process and highlight areas for future research.
Materials and Methods
An 18-item single-round survey was distributed in November 2024 with 68 patients and 68 cross-disciplinary experts. Participation was voluntary, anonymous, incentive-free, and required informed consent. Consensus was defined as ?75% and =95% agreement or disagreement, and strong consensus as >95% agreement or disagreement.
Results
Response rates were 60.3% among patients, and 30.9% among cross-disciplinary experts. Consensus or strong consensus was achieved by patients on 15 statements across nine items and by cross-disciplinary experts on 15 statements across eight items. Items reaching consensus included the use of cone-beam computed tomography, preference for fixed full-arch prostheses, major treatment outcomes, need for hard tissue augmentation, home care regimens, dental implant lifespan, procedure difficulty, cost-effectiveness, and patient-reported outcomes. Both groups also highlighted the need for further research on full-arch implant rehabilitation of the maxilla.
Conclusion
Findings from both surveys inform the development of clinical practice guidelines in treating the edentulous maxilla by providing valuable perspectives from patients and cross-disciplinary experts. Areas lacking consensus illustrate real-world variations in treatment approaches, highlight knowledge gaps in the current literature, and reveal important differences among patient expectations, expert opinions, and available evidence.
Guo-Hao Lin, Giulia Brunello, Ronald E. Jung, Ina Kopp, Frank Schwarz, Hom-Lay Wang, Franz J. Strauss
Disease Category: Dentistry & oral health
Disease Name: Dental implants
Age Range: 18 - 120
Sex: Either
Nature of Intervention: Dental implant
- Clinical experts
- Consumers (patients)
- Patient perspectives
- Recommendations made
- Survey