ABSTRACT
Background: The dilemma of patient satisfaction vs. non-satisfaction with dentures is another never-ending debate in dentistry. The fabrication of optimal dentures is possible with appropriate prosthetic laboratory techniques along with patients’ anatomic and physiologic requirements assessed by a dentist. Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the patient’s priority and mean satisfaction scores of the patient and dentist during complete denture therapy. Material and methods: After selecting the subjects based on decided inclusion and exclusion criteria, the patients were asked to fill the proforma with VAS. The proforma contained a questionnaire divided into 3 parts which need to be filled by both the patients and the dentist, independently. The patients rated their dentures using a scale ranging from 1-5 (5=very satisfied; 4=satisfied; 3=neither satisfied, nor dissatisfied; 2=dissatisfied; 1=very dissatisfied), and a dentist rated the quality of the denture and the denture-bearing area. Results: According to the patient’s priority the majority of the patients preferred mastication (47%). The highest mean dentist satisfaction score was concerned with the extension of a denture (0.97 ± 0.28). There was no statistically significant difference with age and gender for mean denture assessment, aesthetic, phonetics, mastication and comfort satisfaction score (p>0.05). However, the employed patients have aesthetic, phonetics and mastication satisfaction score higher than unemployed patients and the relationship was statistically significant (p<0.05). The educated patients have mean phonetics satisfaction score higher as compared to uneducated patients and the relationship was statistically significant (p<0.05). Conclusion: Majority of the patients was concerned with better chewing function with their dentures. Age and gender do not affect patient satisfaction. However, employed patients were less satisfied with their dentures as compare to unemployed patients. In addition, patients who were educated had better phonetics with their dentures as compare to uneducated patients. Strong dentist-patient communication is necessary to be able to satisfy a patient.
ABSTRACT
Abstract Objective: To determine the proportion of Saudi population in the Asir region that displayed discordance between the facial and maxillary midline and intermaxillary midline, to form an informative guideline for esthetic rehabilitation of patients. Material and Methods: We evaluated 2418 Saudi citizens using positioning guides of the orthopantomography machine to record the relationship of the dental midline to the facial midline. The relationship of the maxillary midline to that of the mandible was observed clinically, and diagnostic mounting of particular cases was performed for confirmation. The examination was carried out by four trained observers (two dentists and two radiology technicians) to overcome the parallax effect. The cases with disagreements were repeated. The record was grouped into (1) coincidence, (2) deviation of the mandible to the right, and (3) deviation to the left. The relationship between facial-dental midline concordance and intermaxillary concordance was assessed using the Chi-squared test Results: Facial and maxillary midline did not coincide in 42.5% participants, whereas intermaxillary midline discordance was observed in 51.5%. Among those exhibiting discordance, 57% had right discordance and 43% had left discordance Conclusion: A significant proportion of the population displayed discordance between the facial-maxillary midline as well as the intermaxillary midline. The female population showed not only a higher number of intermaxillary discordance than males but also a significant number of intermaxillary discordance towards the right.