Some attitudes towards edentulousness, complete dentures, and cooperation with the dentist. A study of denture patients attending a dental school.

Our purpose was to study some patient attitudes related to edentulousness and aspects of the personal relationship between patient and dentist. Seventy-four edentulous patients at a dental school, all experienced denture wearers, were interviewed before the insertion of new complete dentures. Half of them felt bitter and sad about the loss of their teeth. This attitude was found significantly more frequently in women than men. More than 3/4 were quite willing to talk to others about having dentures. Almost as many, however, refused to appear in front of others without their dentures. Nearly 70% seemed to have accepted their dentures as a part of themselves. More than 80% of the patients expressed that satisfaction with new dentures may be influenced by the personal relationship between patient and dentist. A similar proportion expressed that satisfaction with dentures may be influenced by their own cooperation. There seemed to be less agreement about how they should cooperate and also what the responsibilities of the dentist were. None of these patient attitudes or opinions were significantly related to acceptance of new dentures.