Prosthetic status and treatment needs among patients attending the prosthodontic department in a dental institute in India.

This cross-sectional study was planned to evaluate the prosthetic status and treatment needs among patients who reported to the department of prosthodontics in Institute of Dental Sciences, Belgaum. A proforma was designed consisting of questions on sociodemographic factors like age, sex, socioeconomic status and a clinical examination was carried out according to the dentition status and treatment needs using a mouth mirror and a Community Periodontal Index Probe (CPI probe). All the patients who reported to the department of prosthodontics in Institute of Dental Sciences, Belgaum in a period of 2 months, with at least one missing tooth (excluding third molars) were included in the study. There was a statistically highly significant difference between gender and age according to reasons for tooth loss, while there was no statistically significant difference between reasons for tooth loss and socioeconomic status. 58.3% of males and 59.5% of females required complete removable dental prosthesis. A statistically highly significant difference was obtained between age and type of prosthesis required by the patient. There was no statistically significant difference between socioeconomic status and the type of prosthesis required by the patient. The prosthetic status of the population was low with 65.8% of the patients needing prostheses.