Denture quality has a minimal effect on health-related quality of life in patients with removable dentures

A selection of abstracts of clinically relevant papers from other journals. The abstracts on this page have been chosen and edited by John R. Radford.

Abstract

Denture quality does have an effect but it is a 'rather “local”' effect on quality of life.

Main

Inoue M, John MT et al. J Oral Rehabil 2011; 38: 818–826

The stability and dental aesthetics of both removable partial dentures and complete dentures was rated, using a visual analogue scale, for 171 consecutive patients who attended the Showa University's Prosthodontics Clinic, Japan. In addition, health-related quality of life (HRQoL using SF-36 version) and the oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL using OHIP-J) were measured. Linear regression analysis showed that denture stability only was associated with the mental component of HRQoL but there was no relationship between denture stability or denture aesthetics with the physical component of HRQoL. When OHIP-J was added to the regression model, denture aesthetics was associated the mental and physical summary scores. The investigators suggest that denture quality has a 'rather “local”' effect on HRQoL, in contrast to, for example, temporomandibular joint disorders.