The influence of some anamnestic, demographic, and clinical variables on patient acceptance of new complete dentures

Abstract

Abstract

Information obtained by the dentist during a conventional anamnesis and clinical investigation has been claimed to be important in predicting how new complete dentures will be accepted by the patient. The main purpose of the present paper was to test this hypothesis. Seventy-four experienced denture wearers with an average age of 66 years were included in the study. These patients were interviewed concerning their dental history and satisfaction with old and new complete dentures. In the clinical examination, anatomical and physiological conditions of the oral cavity, the quality of the old dentures, and the general health of the patients were assessed. Sixty-six per cent of the patients were dissatisfied with their old dentures. With regard to the new dentures, 15% of the patients were dissatisfied. The major prosthodontic problems during the period of adaptation were pain related to the mandibular dentures and difficulties with speech. Correlations between patient acceptance of new dentures and the anamnestic, demographic, and clinical variables were either statistically or practically/clinically insignificant and therefore poor predictors of how new dentures would be accepted by the patients.