Electomyographic analysis of the oral phase of swallowing in subjects rehabilitated with mandibular implant retained overdenture.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to detect the impact of mandibular implant retained overdenture on electromyographic activity of submental muscles during swallowing in edentulous subjects.
Materials and methods: Fifteen completely edentulous subjects with problematic lower complete dentures were participated in this study. All subjects received a newly carefully constructed complete dentures and then the lower dentures were changed into mandibular implant retained overdentures by placing two implants on the mandibular canine regions and using ball attachments to retain the overdentures. All the subjects were submitted to surface electromyographic evaluation for the submental muscles without dentures, with complete dentures and with mandibular implant overdenture during swallowing of 10ml of water.
Results: There was a statistically significant increase in swallowing duration and electromyographic amplitude of submental muscles after complete dentures insertion and also after insertion of mandibular implant overdenture. Moreover, there was a statistically significant reduction in both swallowing duration and electromyographic amplitude of submental muscles for mandibular implant overdenture when compared to complete dentures. Percentage Overlapping Coefficient showed a non-significant differences between different oral conditions.
Conclusion: Rehabilitation of completely edentulous patient with mandibular implant retained overdenture revealed a reduction in swallowing duration and reduction in electromyographic amplitude of the submental muscles during swallowing.