An evidence-based review of patient-reported outcome measures in dental implant research among dentate subjects

Aim: To conduct an evidence-based review of patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) in dental implant research among dentate patients so as to gain an understanding of the use of such measures, and the potential evidence that can be gleaned from such studies. Material and Methods: A structured literature search was carried out in the MEDLINE database. Patient-related end-points in dental implant research were categorized with respect to type of outcome and reviewed. Results: The initial search identified 3397 publications; full texts were obtained for 133 papers, and ultimately 31 'effective papers'. PROMs were primarily concerned with assessment of patient satisfaction/ preference (71%, 22). A range of prosthetic treatments associated with dental implants were identified. Few studies were prospective studies that included pre-treatment assessments. There was a lack of standardization in the assessment of patient-related outcomes. Conclusions: There is an increasing use of PROMs in dental implant research among dentate patients for a range of prosthetic treatments. For the most part studies have been concerned with the assessment of patient satisfaction/preference but fail to employ standardized outcome assessment methods, which hampers understanding of the benefit of dental implant therapy from patients' perspectives.