Investigation of new complete denture quality and patients' satisfaction with and use of dentures after two years.

OBJECTIVES

To investigate if clinical quality of new complete dentures predicts patient satisfaction with and usage of those dentures two years after insertion in the same way that it did initially and three months after insertion.

METHODS

Four hundred and seventeen patients recruited to a denture outcome study two years previously were surveyed. In each case aspects of denture quality had previously been rated according to a validated method at the first post-insertion visit and patients had completed a postal questionnaire three months after denture insertion. When the dentures were two years old, patients were sent another postal questionnaire to assess denture usage and satisfaction with the dentures.

RESULTS

The response rate to the postal survey was 87%. Data were analysed using structural equation modelling and Bayesian belief networks. No significant associations were found between aspects of new denture quality and patient satisfaction with and use of complete dentures after two years. These results contrast with the three month returns from the same patients that demonstrated significant associations between new denture quality and satisfaction with and use of new complete dentures.

CONCLUSIONS

The authors conclude that initial clinical quality of new complete dentures is not a significant factor in determining patients' satisfaction with and use of these complete dentures two years after insertion.