Five-year outcomes of patient quality of life, satisfaction, and preconceptions following root canal treatment, re-treatment, or single dental implant placement in the anterior zone.

Abstract

The primary aim of this study was to compare the overall satisfaction and quality of life (QoL) up to 5 years after treatment in patients who underwent root canal treatment (RCT), re-treatment (re-RCT), or single tooth implant (STI) placement in the anterior zone. The secondary aim was to analyze factors influencing decision-making and patients' fear levels. This cross-sectional study entailed face-to-face personal interviews performed 5 years after treatment. The procedures were performed in private practice by two experienced dentists, specialists in Endodontics and Oral Surgery and Implantology, respectively. The Chi-squared test was used to evaluate the differences in treatment decision-making. Factors influencing treatment decisions were compared using the Kruskal-Wallis test, while ANOVA was employed to assess Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP)-14 scores and overall satisfaction. Significance was set at p < 0.05. Most patients reported that decisions were made jointly with their dentist, with no differences among groups (p > 0.05). Esthetics were the most influential factor in decision-making (p < 0.05). No differences were found in overall satisfaction among the groups (p > 0.05). STI treatment induced the highest perceived fear and pain scores (p < 0.05). Significant differences were found in some domains of the OHIP-14 in the STI group compared with the RCT and re-RCT groups (p < 0.05). No differences were found between the RCT and re-RCT groups (p > 0.05). Endodontic treatments (RCT and re-RCT) yielded high patient QoL and satisfaction levels comparable to STI, while resulting in lower social disability, psychological discomfort, and physical disability. Esthetics were the most influential determinant across all procedures. In addition, STI resulted in significantly higher perceived fear and pain levels compared with endodontic procedures. The present study's findings underscore the importance of personalized, patient-centered approaches in dental practice to enhance long-term patient satisfaction and outcomes.