Self-perception of older adults regarding rehabilitation with dentures

Abstract

Objective: To analyze the self-perception that older adults have about rehabilitation regarding their uni or bimaxillary dentures. Methods: A form was applied to investigate the sociodemographic, economic and medical-dental variables of the users, a questionnaire to assess the satisfaction level of patients with their dentures, another to investigate the technical quality of the dentures from the aesthetic-functional point of view, and the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-14) to ascertain the impact of prosthetic rehabilitation on the quality of life of users. Results: The majority of the participants (65.2%) used complete bimaxillary dentures, reported dissatisfaction during chewing, while the lower dentures had unsatisfactory technical quality for the retention requirements (69.6%) and stability (69.6%). The older adults’ complaints were predominantly related to the “physical pain” and “physical disability” domains. There were significant associations between general satisfaction with the dentures in use, their general technical quality and the OHIP-14 domains. Conclusion: The patient complaints were related to difficulties in their ability to chew, speak and with the retention and comfort of the lower dentures. The technical quality of the dentures had compromised retention and stability from the aesthetic-functional point of view. Dentures considered unsatisfactory caused negative impacts on the quality of life of users, especially in comfort during meals which was related to difficulty chewing and swallowing. The association between the instruments used in the study provides important tools for the performance of dental surgeons, in addition to enabling more adequate planning in the oral health services offered to the population.