Quantity and quality analysis of dental prosthodontics among retirement age residents from nursing homes in different regions of Latvia and retirement age patients from dental clinic in Riga.

INTRODUCTION: The quality of life is closely related with condition of oral health, influence of subjective factors on the whole human body and patients perception of their oral health. In spite of the fact that the most part of Latvian retirement age residents use low-quality dentures and assess them satisfactory, these patients often have problems associated with quality of dentures. The aim of the present study was to evaluate oral health status, prosthodontics indicators and patients satisfaction with oral health among Latvian retirement age residents. PATIENTS AND METHODS: There were examined 465 retirement age volunteers (170 men and 295 women), 116 of them in dental clinic Sandent (Riga, 24.9% - control group), 137 (29.5%) in nursing homes in Zemgale and 212 (45.6%) in nursing homes in Kurzeme (Zemgale and Kurzeme are districts of Latvia). There were assessed quantity of prosthodontics among patients with partial defects of dental arches, there were estimated quality of dentures and patients satisfaction with existing prosthodontics. RESULTS: Oral health indicators among Latvian retirement age population are better than the same indicators among elderly residents of nursing homes. Among nursing homes residents with partial edentulousness in most of cases in oral cavities remained only few residual teeth which needed treatment. Removable and fixed dental prostheses used by nursing homes residents do not meet denture's quality criteria. Self-evaluation of dentures quality among retirement age residents of nursing homes is better and not correspond with existing dentures quality. CONCLUSIONS: In Latvia the quantity of prosthodontics in respect of partial removable dentures among the retired who regularly visit a dentist does not significantly differ from European retirement age population's dental prosthodontics quantity. Dental prosthodontics indicators of residents of nursing homes in Latvia are unsatisfactory (p<0.001). In retirement age population self-evaluation with quality of dentures is higher than actually existing.

Evaluation of oral health status of retirement-age population in Latvia.

INTRODUCTION. Latvian government Health care financing regulations do not envisage free dental care in nursing homes. Consequently, in this situation arises need to carry out comparative evaluation of oral health status and quantity indicators of dental prosthodontics among retirement-age population in Latvia. The aim of the study was to estimate oral health and dental prosthodontics indicators among retirement-age population in Latvia. PATIENTS AND METHODS. We examinated 465 retirement-age inhabitants in Latvia. We assessed dental status, quantity and quality of the existing complete dental prostheses. We also evaluated the DMF-T index. RESULTS. Oral health indicators among Latvian retirement-age population are better than those for nursing homes residents in the same age group. Complete dental prostheses used by nursing homes residents do not meet denture's quality criteria. Retirement-age patients have oral hygiene problems. CONCLUSIONS. DMF-T index among Latvian retirement-age population is lower than among residents of nursing homes. The major component of DMF-T index is the number of lost teeth. The assessment of dental prostheses among residents of nursing homes showed unsatisfactory results. Retirement-age population in Latvia needs treatment of oral mucosal diseases, improvement of oral hygienic measures and increase of amount of dental prosthodontics.