PURPOSE: To compare oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) and masticatory 
performance (MP) in patients treated with a mandibular complete denture (CD) and 
immediately loaded implant-supported prostheses (ISP).
MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty patients were divided into CD and ISP groups. 
Initially, all patients were treated with a mandibular CD. Then, 23 patients 
remained with a CD while 17 patients were treated with an ISP after wearing the 
CD for 3 months. OHRQoL was measured using the OHIP-EDENT questionnaire, and MP 
was evaluated by sieving. Data were recorded before treatment (T0) and after 3 
months wearing the CD and ISP (T1).
RESULTS: CD treatment did not affect OHRQoL and PM; however, patients treated 
with an ISP presented improvement in OHRQoL (P < .001) and MP (P < .001) with a 
high effect size (ES) (Cohen's d = 2.49 and 2.47, respectively). For intergroup 
analysis, ISP treatment presented improvement in OHRQoL and MP compared to CD 
treatment (P < 0.001) at T1 with a high ES (Cohen's d = 1.80 and 3.29, 
respectively). The correlation between MP and OHRQoL was positive only for 
psychologic discomfort in the CD group at T0 (P = .035), suggesting that poor MP 
increased psychologic discomfort.
CONCLUSION: Converting a CD into an ISP had a positive impact on OHRQoL and MP 
with high ES.