Patients' complaints and satisfaction 5 years after complete denture treatment.
This study is based on an evaluation of patients' opinions of their dentures by means of a questionnaire. The patients had been provided with complete dentures at a university clinic. Of the original sample (n = 139) a test group of 92 patients remained available for the actual study 5 yr after treatment. The replies in the questionnaire were subjected to statistical processing and interpretation. Six clusters could be defined and these were introduced as "scales" representing the patients' score on a specific type of complaint. Apart from the six scales a score was achieved for each patient's overall satisfaction. The correlations between the various scales were calculated with the aid of a computer program. Finally, cross-tabulation was used to see if any significant (inter)correlations could be proved between complaints, satisfaction, and some of the patients' social data. It could be concluded that a correlation exists between complaints of pain and of functional aspects on the one hand and vague complaints on the other hand. There is also a correlation between complaints of looseness of the maxillary denture and complaints about aesthetic factors. Well-fitting and well-functioning dentures, absence of pain, and a socially acceptable appearance contribute much to the patients' satisfaction with dentures. Social variables such as type of insurance (public or private) and marital status influence denture appreciation to a certain extent.
Department of Removable and Maxillo-Facial Prosthodontics, University of Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
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D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003258:Consumer Behavior / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003781:Denture Retention / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003824:Denture, Complete; D004955:Esthetics, Dental / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007347:Insurance, Dental; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands; D010146:Pain; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires