Oral health-related quality of life in prosthodontic patients – two-year follow-up

Objectives: To describe oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) over a period of two years in patients treated with fixed, removable, and complete dentures.

Methods: Study participants were recruited as a convenience sample of 124 prosthodontic patients. They were treated with fixed partial dentures (FPD; n=54), removable partial dentures (RPD; n=56), or complete dentures (CD; n=14). OHRQoL was measured using the German version of the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-G49) at baseline and 4 weeks, 6 weeks, 6, 12, 18, and 24 months after treatment. Change in OHRQoL was measured by the difference in OHIP summary scores between baseline and follow-ups, as well as in effect size (Cohen's d, 1988). Effect sizes are defined as "small, d = .2", "medium, d = .5", and "large, d = .8". Differences in OHIP summary scores were analyzed using t-tests.

Results: OHRQoL improved in 62.2% of patients at 4-week follow-up and in 67.3% at 6-week follow-up. Change of OHIP score was significant (p<.05) for both occasions when all prosthodontic patients were combined in the analysis. However, effect size was considered small (d=.18 and d=.30). The largest improvement in OHIP summary score at 4-week and 6-week follow-up was observed in patients treated with RPD (7 and 14 units). Patients with CD showed smaller decreases in OHIP scores (8 and 11 units), and patients treated with FPD showed the smallest (1 and 3 units). Between 12 and 24 months after treatment, OHRQoL of each treatment group deteriorated somewhat. However, at the end of the two-year period, OHRQoL was still improved in 62.1% of all patients compared with baseline, and the change in OHIP scores was still significant (p<.01). OHRQoL change expressed as effect size was still considered small (d=.26).

Conclusion: Prosthodontic treatment substantially improved OHRQoL over a two-year time period.