CLINICAL RESEARCH Factors Associated With Successful Denture Therapy zyxw Roberta L. Diehl, DDS, zyxwvu * Ulrich Foerster, DDS,? VenitaJ. Sposetti, DMDJ and Teresa A. Dolan, DDS, MPH$ zyxw Purpose: The purpose of this investigation was t o evaluate complete denture patients at pretreatment and postinsertion, 6 months and zyxwvut 18 months after denture delivery in order to develop an explanatory model of successful denture therapy to better understand patient acceptance of complete dentures. Materials and Methods: Sixty complete-denture patients treated at a dental student clinic were followed through denture therapy and for 18 months thereafter. Subjects were examined and completed pretreatment questionnaires and posttreatment interviews. Three outcome measures of denture success were tested, and factors considered substantive in achieving a successful denture outcome were examined using multivariate analyses. Results: At post-insertion, 76.7% of subjects were satisfied with their dentures, 74.6% said their expectations were met, and 66.7% said they adjusted easily to their new dentures; reports at 6 and 18 months were similarly high. Logistic regression findings suggest that psychological and interpersonal factors are more important determinants of denture satisfaction than anatomic or clinical factors. Conclusions: Subject characteristics including age, gender, race, income level, education, marital status, and maxillary and mandibular anatomy were not significantly associated with denture success as defined by the three outcome measures used in this study. Although these variables may represent important co-factors in the patient's acceptance of dental services and may affect the way a patient perceives dental care outcomes, statistically significant relationships were not found within our sample. Psychosocialvariables, such as pretreatment expectations, satisfaction with the dental care received, and mental health showed a stronger relationship to a successful outcome. J Prosthod 1996;5:84-90. Copyright D 1996 by the American College of Prosthodontists. INDEX WORDS: denture success, complete dentures, patient satisfaction zyxwv ITH ADVANCES in dental research, technol- ogy, and education, many older Americans have retained their natural teeth longer than their predecessors. Yet more than 40% of adults over age 65' as well as many younger adults are edentulous and in need of complete denture therapy. The From the L'nimsity OfFlorida zyxwvutsrqpo Collqe pfDentist9, Gainesuille, FL. "histan6 Pr$essor, Depurtmmt @Community Denti@. f h i s t a n l Clinical P@mor, Department ofOperntive Dentistry. $Anoeiate Bofisor, Depnltnent OfBosthodontics. $Rrrociate Profisor, Department OfCommunity Dentisty. Coresfindence to: Robert L. Dikhl, DDS, Department .f Cornmimi& Dentistry, Ron. 100404,JHMHC, Vniimii& zyxwvutsrq of Flnrida, Gainewille, FL 32610. Suppopled the Bureau $Health Professiom, DHHS, PHS, grant D31-PE94000. Preliminav results ofthis research mere presented at the Internationul Rrsociatwn $ Dental Research, Geriatric Oral Research Group: abstract 1533 on March 12, 1993, zyxwvutsrq in Chicago, IL, and abstrucl 1429 on March I I, 1994, in Seattle, WA. Copyright 0 l996$ the Ammican College OfProsthodontists 1059-941X/96/0502-0~5.00I 0 placement of implants to reestablish lost function and esthetics has increased substantially in recent years. Despite this advancement, implant dentistry may not be recommended for a significant number of adults because of medical, physiological, psychologi- cal, and/or financial constraints. Conventional com- plete denture therapy will remain an important and essential tool in restoring the oral function of edentu- lous adults in the foreseeable future. Despite the large volume of literature regarding patient satisfaction with complete denture therapy, there is little consensus among authors as to reliable predictors of denture success. Kalk and deBaatL examined patient complaints and satisfaction 5 years after denture treatment. Well-fitting, well-function- ing dentures, the absence of pain, and a socially acceptable appearance were reported to contribute most to patient satisfaction. Conversely, Vervoon et aP report no significant association bctwcen denture success and denture quality, or between dpnture complaints and denture quality. They suggest that 84 Journal qfProsthodontics, Vo15, No 2 (June), 1996fifi 84-90