Association Between Factors Related to the Time of Wearing Complete Dentures and Oral Health-Related Quality of Life in Patients Who Maintained a Recall

Purpose: To investigate the association between factors related to the time of wearing complete dentures (CDs) and oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) in edentulous patients who maintained a recall. Materials and Methods: OHRQoL was measured using the German version of the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-G) in a convenience sample of 50 edentulous prosthodontic patients (mean age ± SD: 72.5 ± 9.4; age range: 52 to 91 years, 66% women) maintaining a recall 2 to 51 months after CD treatment. The outcome of the study was the sum of OHIP-G item responses (OHIP-G49; range, 0 to 196) that characterized OHRQoL. Exposure variables were (1) time since first treatment with CDs, (2) number of previous CDs, (3) age of present CDs, and (4) age at which first CDs were provided. The association between exposure variables and outcome was investigated using an ordinary least-square regression analysis, controlling for the effects of age. Results: Age of current CDs, time since first CD, number of previous CDs, and the age at which CDs were first provided did not significantly influence OHRQoL. Regression coefficients for each exposure variable were, respectively, 0.0, 95% CI: -0.1 to 0.2; -0.1, 95% CI: -0.4 to 0.3; 0.8, 95% CI: -1.5 to 3.0, and 0.4, 95% CI: -0.1 to 0.8. Conclusion: The response to inevitable anatomic and biologic changes in the oral cavity related to edentulism, denture-wearing, age, and other factors does not necessarily translate rapidly into changes in perceived oral health in patients wearing CDs and maintaining a recall.