An investigation of factors influencing patients' use of new complete dentures using structural equation modelling techniques

A review of the Literature demonstrated that research had not identified a set of prognostic indicators for prospective complete denture patients, wit h different authors publishing contradictory results. Objective: To investi gate pos sible relationships between patient and clinical factors and dentu re wear and use of dentures for eating. Methods: Patients attending Guy's D ental Hospital, London, for provision of complete dentures were recruited. For each patient relevant history was recorded and an examination of the ed entulous mouth and existing dentures, where present, was undertaken at the beginning of treatment. At the first post-insertion appointment the edentul ous mouth, previous and new dentures were examined. Three months after the review appointment patients were sent a postal questionnaire to assess pati ent use of dentures and patient satisfaction. Data were analysed using stru ctural equation modelling techniques. Results: 723 patients were recruited. Significant relationships were found between quality of complete dentures and patients' use of complete dentures and between quality of residual eden tulous ridges and patients' use of complete dentures. These results contras t with most previous research into prognostic indicators for success in com plete denture treatments. Conclusions: Quality of residual edentulous ridge s and quality of new complete dentures predict patients' use of new complet e dentures.