Satisfaction with the dentition related to dental functional status and tooth replacement in an adult Bulgarian population: a cross-sectional study.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study is to assess satisfaction with the dentition in general, dental esthetics, and chewing function related to dental functional status and tooth replacement in subjects, dentate in both jaws.


METHODS
Dentitions of subjects (n = 2,437) aged ≥20 years were categorized in a hierarchical functional classification system, with and without tooth replacements, according to four dental conditions: '≥10 teeth in each jaw', 'complete anterior regions', 'sufficient premolar regions' (≥3 occluding pairs), and 'sufficient molar regions' (bilaterally ≥1 occluding pair). Likelihood ratios (LR) were used to express the ability of these conditions to discriminate between satisfied and not satisfied subjects. Odds ratios (OR) were calculated to evaluate associations between satisfaction, the four dental conditions separately, and tooth replacement.


RESULTS
In the hierarchical system, subjects having '<10 teeth' were more likely of being not satisfied with their dentitions (LR 4.09), esthetics (LR 3.51), and chewing (LR 5.49). As a separate condition, '≥10 teeth' was significantly associated only with satisfaction with chewing. The conditions 'complete anterior regions' and 'sufficient' premolar and molar regions' were associated with all satisfaction variables (ORs 1.47-2.96, p values ≤0.012). When dental conditions were determined on the basis of natural teeth only, having teeth replaced was positively correlated with satisfaction; when determined on the basis of natural plus replaced teeth, subjects having teeth replaced tended to be less satisfied than their counterparts with natural teeth only.


CONCLUSIONS
Satisfaction was strongly associated with dental functional status.


CONCLUSIONS
Dental configurations comprising both natural and artificial teeth were less likely to provide the same level of satisfaction as equivalent dental configurations comprising natural teeth only.
Department of Oral Function and Prosthetic Dentistry, College of Dental Science, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, 25, Philips van Leydenlaan, 6525 EX, Nijmegen, The Netherlands, n.damyanov@dent.umcn.nl.
Nikola D
ND
Damyanov
Dick J
DJ
Witter
Ewald M
EM
Bronkhorst
Nico H J
NH
Creugers
D000328:Adult; D002031:Bulgaria; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003817:Dentition; D006801:Humans; D017060:Patient Satisfaction