ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: This study aimed to quantify the costs of complete denture fabrication by a simplified method compared with a conventional protocol. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A sample of edentulous patients needing conventional maxillary and mandibular complete dentures was randomly divided into group S, which received dentures fabricated by a simplified method, and group C, which received conventionally fabricated dentures. We calculated direct and indirect costs for each participant including unscheduled procedures. This study assessed 19 and 20 participants allocated into groups S and C, respectively, and comparisons between groups were conducted by the Mann-Whitney and Student's t-test (α = 0.05). RESULTS: Complete denture fabrication demanded median time periods of 173.2 and 284.5 minutes from the operator for groups S and C respectively, and 46.6 and 61.7 minutes from the dental assistant (significant differences, p < 0.05). There was no difference between groups regarding postinsertion adjustments. Group S showed lower values for costs with materials and time spent by patients than group C during the fabrication stage, but not during adjustments. CONCLUSIONS: The median direct cost of complete denture treatment was 34.9% lower for the simplified method. It can be concluded that the simplified method is less costly for patients and the health system when compared with a conventional protocol for the rehabilitation of edentulous patients.
Subject(s)
Denture Design/economics , Denture, Complete/economics , Aged , Appointments and Schedules , Costs and Cost Analysis , Dental Assistants/economics , Dental Impression Technique/economics , Dental Materials/economics , Dental Technicians/economics , Dentists/economics , Follow-Up Studies , Humans , Jaw Relation Record/methods , Middle Aged , Mouth, Edentulous/economics , Mouth, Edentulous/rehabilitation , Occlusal Adjustment/economics , Time FactorsABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: To analyse the validity of the Brazilian versions of OHIP-EDENT and GOHAI as assessment tools of edentulous subjects' OHRQoL. BACKGROUND: Inventories for measuring oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) are important in clinical studies regarding oral rehabilitation. However, there is a need for comprehensive validation after translation into different cultural settings. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The sample comprised of 100 complete denture wearers (29 men, 71 women, mean age of 65.2 ± 9.9 years). The associations between each OHRQoL inventory and other variables served as measurements of construct validity. Data analysis comprised the Spearman correlation test as well as multiple regression using the OHRQoL inventories as dependent variables and the other scales as determinants. RESULTS: Both OHRQoL inventories showed good correlation with denture satisfaction, whereas lower correlation coefficients were found among the inventories and the HAD subscales. Denture satisfaction alone explained 48% and 39% of the variance found for the OHIP-EDENT and GOHAI, respectively, as assessed by multiple regression. A smaller effect was found for OHIP-EDENT. CONCLUSION: Both OHIP-EDENT and GOHAI showed good construct validity for measurement of OHRQoL of edentulous subjects.