"Prosthetic condition" and patients' judgment of complete dentures

PURPOSE

This study introduces the concept "prosthetic condition", which combines the quality of complete dentures and residual alveolar ridges.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A pilot study was performed to select quality criteria with an acceptable interobserver agreement. With these criteria, a clinical examination was performed to assess the quality of the existing complete dentures and the residual alveolar ridges of 397 complete denture wearers. During clinical examination, the interobserver agreement of the selected criteria was retested. The "prosthetic condition" was assessed by combining the scores for denture quality and quality of the residual alveolar ridges. Subsequently, participants' satisfaction with and complaints about their dentures were scored according to their answers to specific questions.

RESULTS

Logistic regression analysis demonstrated that no variable of the "prosthetic condition" proved to explain the denture satisfaction. Some variables of the "prosthetic condition" had a significant but not relevant correlation with some denture complaints.

CONCLUSIONS

More research is necessary to substantiate the concept "prosthetic condition" as an acceptable measure of professionally quality assessment of dentures and denture-bearing surfaces. However, in determining the treatment need of community-dwelling groups, this concept seems a more realistic measure than denture quality only.

[Adjustment of complete dentures. Have oral stereognosis and denture quality a predictable value?]

The denture complaints of 397 complete denture wearing participants were assessed. The quality of the dentures and denture bearing surfaces were professionally scored as well. Combination of these scores gave a specific denture quality, the so-called 'prosthetic condition'. The oral stereognostic capability was recorded with an Oral Stereognosis Test. There was no correlation between denture complaints and the results of the Oral Stereognosis Test, nor between denture complaints and prosthetic condition.

["Prosthetic condition" and satisfaction with dentures]

This study introduces the concept of 'prosthetic condition', combining the professionally assessed complete denture quality and quality of the residual alveolar ridge. In a group of 397 complete maxillary and mandibular denture wearers the prosthetic condition was assessed and the denture satisfaction recorded. The total prosthetic condition (maxillary and mandibular combined) was good in 225 (57%), moderate in 81 (20%), and poor in 91 (23%) subjects; the mandibular prosthetic condition was good in 155 (39%), moderate in 148 (38%), and poor in 94 (23%) subjects; 297 (75%) subjects were satisfied with their dentures. None of the criteria used for the prosthetic condition could explain the denture satisfaction. Furthermore, there was no significant correlation between prosthetic condition and denture satisfaction.

Differences in oral stereognosis between complete denture wearers

To better understand patients' relative satisfaction with complete dentures, differences in oral stereognostic perception, based on the identification of small objects placed in the mouth, were investigated. It was found that the oral stereognosis test applied is reliable for measuring patients' oral stereognostic perception. However, the positive correlation of other studies concerning the relationship between oral stereognosis and satisfaction with complete dentures was not confirmed in this study.

[Nationwide survey in the Netherlands (Leot-Project). 7. Dental prostheses]

Data are presented about the prevalence of full and partial dentures and dental bridges in the adult population of The Netherlands. Furthermore, the quality of full dentures and the resorption of the jaws were studied. Differences were found between the social classes (a higher percentage of people with dentures in the lower classes) and between the various regions of the country (more denture wearers in the Northern region). Only a low percentage of the full dentures met all the quality requirements. This can be possibly explained by the fact that resorption of the lower jaw was severe in a majority of the cases.

[Oral stereognosis test in patients with complete dentures]

An oral stereognosis test was performed in patients with complete dentures. Two groups were selected: patients without complaints of their dentures of professionally assessed poor quality and patients with complaints of professionally assessed good dentures. There was no statistical significant correlation between the measure of scores of an oral stereognosis test and the presence of complaints related with the dentures.