Comparisons between dentist ratings and self‐ratings of dental appearance in an elderly population

Abstract

Little is known about dental appearance in terms of the elderly population. The purpose of this paper is to compare self-reported dental appearance with dentist-rated appearance for individuals over 65. The subjects (N = 550) were participants in the Los Angeles based Medicare Screening and Health Promotion Trial. Most were female (57.3%), white (89.0%), and married (62.0%), with a mean age of 74.5 years. About one-third had incomes greater than $25,000. Results are based on a 45 minute telephone interview and onsite dental screening. Findings show that 40% of the self-ratings on a five point scale were higher than the dentist ratings, and 22% were lower. Bivariate analyses showed that both sets of ratings were related to dental status variables, self-reported health, and education. High self-ratings were also associated with being white and having a positive mental health status, while high dentist ratings were associated with patients who were younger, married, and who had higher income and social network scores. Comparison of results from two multiple regressions showed unique predictors for the self-ratings (marital status and GOHAI scores) and for the dentist ratings (sex and income). These discrepancies can raise barriers to effective treatment planning in the elderly, which could affect utilization and satisfaction.

Effectiveness of dental services in facilitating recovery from oral disadvantage

“…The effect of oral disease, signs, and symptoms on oral health-related quality of life has been reported previously in cross-sectional [19,[29][30][31][32][33][34][35][36][37][38][39] and longitudinal studies [40][41][42][43]. These previous studies include a variety of psychometric properties when measuring oral disadvantage.…”

Oral Health-Related Quality of Life in institutionalized elderly in Barcelona (Spain)

“…Considering the relation between OHRQoL and oral health status, Matthias et al proposed to use GOHAI as a predictor of objective oral health conditions in institutionalized elderly (20), with good sensitivity when comparing with other indicators of oral health-related quality of life to identify unmet need for dental treatment (7,10,21). Therefore, using GOHAI to assess the OHRQoL in elderly would contribute to detect and predict the need for dental care, as also to oral health diagnosis and planning of dental services.…”

Postextraction Implant Placement with Immediate Provisionalisation and Finalisation, Using a Simplified Technique: Technical Notes and a Case Report

“…The immediate placement in postextraction sites is a surgical option capable of ensuring ideal peri-implant tissue healing, while at the same time preserving the pre-surgical gingiva and bone [21, 22]. To achieve prosthetic success, it is essential to understand the patient’s expectations and desires, paying particular attention to his or her psychological and socio-economic status, as well as to his or her oral condition [23]. The prosthesis should integrate itself from the biological, functional and aesthetic points of view [24].…”