Impact of Conventional Removable Complete Dentures on the Oral Health-Related Quality of Life of Completely Edentulous Patients in a Tertiary Health Institution in Nigeria

Abstract

Objective: To assess the impact of conventional removable complete dentures on the oral-health related quality of life of completely edentulous patients.

Methods: Conventional removable complete dentures were fabricated for 20 completely edentulous elderly patients at the University of Benin Prosthetic Dental clinic. Their oral-health related quality of life was assessed using the 11-item modified Geriatric Oral Health Assessment Index (GOHAI) Questionnaire, before treatment, 1 month and 3 months post insertion of complete dentures.

Results: There was a significant increase (P=0.0001) in the mean GOHAI scores across all domains following treatment with complete dentures. The highest mean score was observed in the psychosocial function domain from 6.0±1.1 prior to treatment with complete dentures to 13.0±1.1, 1 month after treatment and eventually to 14.7±0.7 recorded 3 months after treatment with complete dentures (P=0.0001). The lowest mean score was observed in the pain and discomfort domain from 3.7±1.0 at baseline to 5.1±0.4, 1 month after treatment to 6.0±0.2 recorded 3 months after treatment (P=0.0001). A significant increase (P=0.0001) in the GOHAI-T mean score was also observed from 14.1±1.8 at baseline to 26.5±1.4, 1 month after treatment to 32.1±1.1 recorded 3 months after treatment with complete dentures. 
Conclusion: Conventional removable complete dentures impacts positively on the Oral health-related quality of life of edentulous patients

Keywords: Conventional removable complete dentures, Oral health-related quality of life, complete edentulism, Geriatric Oral Health Assessment Index