Abstract
Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the factors influencing on the denture satisfaction in the low income elderly people. Methods: The subjects were 143 elderly people from 60 to 75 years old wearing dentures and receiving consistent follow-up in the public health center in Busan. A self-reported questionnaire was filled out by the elderly people from February 1 to March 1, 2013. The questionnaire consisted of denture satisfaction, social variables, and psychological variables. Data were analyzed by ANOVA and multiple regression analysis using SPSS 18.0. The sociodemographic characteristics included gender, age, and chronic diseases. The recognition of oral health included pronunciation, denture maintenance, mastication ability, and education for denture care. The questionnaire was measured by Likert 5 scale. Results: Gender, chronic disease, denture care instructions, and the self-preception of the oral health after denture treatment were closely correlated with denture satisfaction(p<0.001). Age and the number of repairs were very important factor to denture satisfaction(p<0.05). Elderly women were more satisfied with denture than men and those who had no chronic diseases tended to be more satisfied with denture. Those who received oral care instructions were more satisfied with the denture than those who did not. The younger age group and no repairing prosthetic group tended to be more satisfied with the denture. Conclusions: It is important to provide the denture management services to the low income elderly when they demand the services. The national dental health policy must be focused on connection of the elderly people denture services with the public health center.
