title: Denture quality has a minimal effect on health-related quality of life in patients with removable dentures.
abstract: The present study examined the association of denture quality and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients with removable dentures. In a study of 171 consecutive patients with removable partial dentures or complete dentures (mean age: 68·0 ± 9·3 years) at a university-based prosthodontic clinic, dentists rated two aspects of denture quality (stability and aesthetics) using a 100-mm visual analog scale (VAS). HRQoL was evaluated using the mental and physical component summary (MCS and PCS) scores of the Medical Outcomes Study Short-Form 36-Item Health Survey (SF-36). Oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) was evaluated using the Oral Health Impact Profile-Japanese version (OHIP-J). The associations among denture quality, OHRQoL, and HRQoL were examined by linear regression models. Bivariable linear regression analyses revealed that denture stability was significantly associated with the SF-36 MCS [regression coefficient = 0·52 for a 10-unit increase in denture stability on a 0-100 VAS, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0·03-1·00, P = 0·04], but not with the PCS (0·11, 95% CI: -0·49 to 0·70). Denture aesthetics was not related to the PCS or the MCS (0·22, 95% CI: -0·44 to 0·88 or 0·07, 95%CI: -0·47 to 0·62). When OHIP-J was added to the regression model, this variable was substantially and significantly associated with the MCS and PCS summary scores; in addition, the regression coefficient for denture quality decreased in magnitude and was statistically nonsignificant in all analyses. The quality of removable dentures had a minimal effect on HRQoL in patients with removable dentures, and this association was mediated by OHRQoL.
authors.affiliation: Department of Prosthodontics, Showa University, Japan.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Inoue
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: John
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tsukasaki
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Furuyama
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Baba
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003824:Denture, Complete / Q000523:psychology* / Q000592:standards; D003832:Denture, Partial, Removable / Q000523:psychology* / Q000592:standards; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D018434:Sickness Impact Profile; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires