title: Why do edentulous adults with intellectual disabilities not wear dentures? Wave 2 of the IDS TILDA cohort study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Older adults with intellectual disabilities (ID) are often edentulous. When total tooth loss occurs, they are very unlikely to wear complete removable dentures (CRDs) to restore oral function in Ireland. The reasons for this are unclear, though opinion holds that this is because dentists do not offer prosthodontic treatment to this group. In this study we ask edentulous older adults with ID why they do not wear dentures.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional survey data from Wave 2 of the Intellectual Disability Supplement to The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (IDS-TILDA) was examined to study reported denture wear among edentulous older adults with ID.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Out of 692 participants, 186 were edentulous (26.9%), of whom 57 (30.6%) wore CRDs and 129 (69.3%) did not. Twelve of this 129 had dentures but did not wear them. Of the 117 respondents who reported that they did not have dentures, 99 (valid %=92.5%) did not want dentures, while only 8 did. No respondents in this study reported that they were denied denture therapy. Rather, they simply did not want dentures. Clinicians should understand that extra steps may be needed to ensure that consent is truly informed when patients opt for, or decline, complete denture therapy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  While there is a high normative need for prosthodontic rehabilitation, expressed need is low. Extra steps may be necessary to ensure optimal outcomes for people with ID.
authors.affiliation: School of Dental Science, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland; Dublin Dental University Hospital, Department of Child and Public Dental Health, Dublin, Ireland. Electronic address: macgiolla@dental.tcd.ie.
authors.forename: Caoimhin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mac Giolla Phadraig
authors.affiliation: School of Dental Science, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland; Dublin Dental University Hospital, Department of Child and Public Dental Health, Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: June
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nunn
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing and Midwifery, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: Rachael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Carroll
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing and Midwifery, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: Mary
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: McCarron
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing and Midwifery, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland; School of Social Welfare, University at Albany, Albany, Canada.
authors.forename: Philip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: McCallion
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003824:Denture, Complete / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008607:Intellectual Disability; D007494:Ireland / Q000453:epidemiology; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D009066:Mouth, Edentulous / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*
keywords: Ageing; Dental care for the disabled; Dentures; Edentulous; Intellectual disability