The shortened dental arch--an assessment of patients' dental health state utility values.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to determine how patients value the potential outcomes from different treatments for the shortened dental arch (SDA).


METHODS
110 partially dentate patients were interviewed and presented with illustrative models as well as a description of the process and likely outcome of six possible treatments for the shortened dental arch. The patients were asked to indicate on a standardised visual analogue scale how they would value the health of their mouth if they had received each of the treatments described.


RESULTS
With a utility value of 0.0 representing the worst possible health state for a mouth and 1.0 representing the best, the mean utility value for 'no treatment' for a SDA was 0.28 (sd=0.29). For a cobalt-chromium based removable partial denture, an acrylic-resin based removable partial denture, implant treatment, a resin-bonded cantilevered bridge and a conventional cantilevered fixed bridge the utility values were 0.42 (sd=0.3), 0.49 (sd=0.31), 0.53 (sd=0.35), 0.63 (sd=0.26) and 0.64 (sd=0.28) respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
The treatment outcome from a cantilevered bridge attracted the highest mean utility value. Participants did not value implant treatment as highly as fixed bridgework, but they did rate the utility of implants more highly than the utility value of removable dentures. However, the patients placed a very low value on the outcome from 'no' treatment. Thus, the appropriateness of the shortened dental arch as an oral health goal can be questioned.
Nassani
Mohammad Zakaria
MZ
Devlin
Hugh
H
McCord
J Fraser
JF
Kay
Elizabeth J
EJ
D003724:Dental Arch / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D015921:Dental Implants / Q000523:psychology*; D003829:Denture, Partial / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D015921:Dental Implants