title: Patients' Evaluations of Complete Denture Therapy and Their Association with Related Variables: A Pilot Study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Patient satisfaction is an important goal in complete denture therapy, and many factors influence this parameter. This study aimed to evaluate expectations before and satisfaction after therapy with complete dentures. As a secondary objective, other variables that may interfere with patient satisfaction were also evaluated.
  
  
  METHODS
  A representative sample of 99 patients assigned visual analog scale (VAS) scores to their expectations before and satisfaction after therapy regarding chewing, esthetics, comfort, and phonetics. Demographic data and answers to a questionnaire concerning the dentists' conduct were recorded. Multiple linear regression was used to evaluate the association among studied variables and patients' expectation and satisfaction with their dentures.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The average VAS scores were high for both expectations and satisfaction, and satisfaction exceeded expectations. Patients' expectations about esthetics and comfort were associated with age and self-reported time of using complete dentures. Patient satisfaction regarding chewing was associated with the number of postdelivery adjustments. Also, patient satisfaction regarding esthetics was associated with gender and esthetic expectations. In regard to phonetic satisfaction, associations were verified among self-reported time of using complete dentures, comfort and phonetics expectations, and dentists' explanations. Comfort satisfaction was associated only with educational level.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patient satisfaction regarding complete dentures exceeded expectations and an expressive majority of positive evaluations of the dentists was noticed. Many patient-related variables seemed to influence their evaluations of their dentures.
authors: Dentistry Department, University of Taubaté, Taubaté, Brazil.
authors: Beatriz Ferreira Oliveira
authors: BF
authors: Santos
authors: School of Dentistry, Federal University of Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil.
authors: Mateus Bertolini Fernandes
authors: MB
authors: dos Santos
authors: Dentistry Department, University of Taubaté, Taubaté, Brazil.|University of Vale do Paraíba, São José dos Campos, Brazil.
authors: Jarbas Francisco Fernandes
authors: JF
authors: Santos
authors: Department of Preventive and Community Dentistry, University of Iowa College of Dentistry, Iowa City, IA.
authors: Leonardo
authors: L
authors: Marchini
mesh_terms: D003824:Denture, Complete; D004955:Esthetics, Dental; D006801:Humans; D008409:Mastication; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D010865:Pilot Projects
keywords: Patient expectations; complete dentures; patient satisfaction; prosthodontics