Social appearance anxiety and oral health-related quality of life in middle-aged adults with implant therapy

Introduction: The success of implant therapy is strongly related to the perceptions and expectations of the patients.Aim: This study aimed to assess the level of social appearance anxiety and oral health-related quality of life in middle-aged adults with implant-supported fixed prostheses and compare with individuals who have tooth loss without any prosthetic rehabilitation or who have natural teeth.Materials and methods: The participants (n=292) were divided into three groups: group 1, individuals with implant-supported fixed dental prostheses; group 2, individuals with tooth loss; and group 3, individuals with totally natural teeth. A questionnaire form including basic questions, Social Appearance Anxiety Scale (SAAS), and Oral Health Impact Profile-14 (OHIP-14) was distributed among patients.Results: Group 2 showed a significantly higher level of SAAS and OHIP-14 scores compared with groups 1 and 3 (p