DOES THE QUALITY OF ADVANCED PROSTHETIC DENTISTRY DETERMINE PATIENT SATISFACTION

In a clinical follow-up study 42 patients were selected from an origin al sample of 335 individuals who had undergone extensive prosthetic tr eatment. The selection was done in accordance with a treatment satisfa ction measure. The selected patients' appliances were classified in ac cordance with the California Dental Association (CDA) quality assessme nt system. Altogether, most of the new reconstructions were rated as s atisfactory. The removable partial dentures had a somewhat higher shar e of non-acceptable appliances according to the CDA criteria. There wa s an association between the CDA categories and patient satisfaction. Using logistic regression analysis and knowing the CDA rating, we coul d correctly classify 67% of the patients with regard to the satisfacti on measure. The satisfaction measure was modified on the basis of an i nterview, improving the model to 83% correctly classified. It was conc luded that the technical quality of the prosthodontic treatment was as sociated with patient satisfaction.