Benefit of Shape-Maintaining and Softened Meals Provided After Implant Surgery

Objectives: We investigated whether the shape-maintaining and softened meals are more secure and comfortable for patients than regular meals after implant-placement surgery.
Methods: Twelve patients (7 females and 5 males) who had undergone implant-placement surgeries from February 2016 to May 2018 were recruited at Department of Oral Rehabilitation and Implantology, Okayama University Hospital. Patients with 8 or more teeth missing were recruited and patients with dysphagia or food allergy were excluded. Within three days after surgery, the participants visited the hospital and were ordered to eat regular meals (Osawa's Chikuzen-ni, Osawa Kakoh, Uonuma) and shape-maintaining and softened (softened) meals (iEat® Chikuzen-ni, EN Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Hanamaki) and to answer an original self-administered questionnaire. The questionnaire contained 5-point scale questions about oral symptoms (4 items), satisfaction with meals (5 items), and sense of security (1 item). To avoid the influence of the order of eating, a cross-over control design was utilized and the relationship between type of meal and the questions were analyzed by chi-square tests (Ethical committee approval: KEN1507-056).
Results: Six of the 12 patients ate the regular meal first. Three patients reported pain and bleeding. Six patients reported swelling and two patients reported difficulty in opening the mouth. Among the questionnaire items in satisfaction with meals, “easy to chew” (p=0.04) and “easy to swallow” (p=0.03) were significantly more prevalent in the softened meal. The prevalence of complete eating was also significantly higher in the softened meals (p=0.01).
Conclusions: The results suggest that after implant-placement surgery, in patients with 8 or more teeth missing, they find the softened meals easier to chew and swallow, and the prevalence of complete eating was higher in the softened meals.