Elderly complete denture wearers: a social approach to tooth loss

OBJECTIVES: To correlate emotional reactions to tooth loss with denture satisfaction attributes in elderly complete denture wearers. BACKGROUND: Total tooth loss is a serious life event, and poor oral health has an impact on daily life. Edentulism treated by rehabilitation with dentures can have a positive effect on patients' self-image and social behaviour. METHODS: A group of 80 edentulous subjects undergoing routine prosthetic care in a Greek Department of Prosthetic Dentistry were interviewed using two structured questionnaires. The first questionnaire explored reactions to tooth loss, whereas the second measured their subjective experience of complete dentures. The responses to both questionnaires were compared using the statistical package SPSS v.17. RESULTS: The results showed significant correlation between aspects of tooth loss experience and complete denture satisfaction. Despite the fact that a substantial proportion of patients were satisfied with their complete dentures, some patients experienced increased social and psychological problems related to their edentulousness and the wearing of complete dentures. The aesthetic and functional aspects of complete dentures affected both patients' social behaviour and self-confidence. CONCLUSIONS: Total tooth loss was not only reflected in patient's social behaviour and self-image, but it had a complex and multifaceted impact on satisfaction from complete dentures.