Functional dentition and associated factors in Brazilian elderly people: A multilevel generalised structural equation modelling approach

Introduction: The objective of the present study was to evaluate the association of socioeconomic status (SES) as a latent variable on oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) using four definitions of functional dentition (FD) for elderly people.

Methods: Four sets of multilevel generalised structural equation models (GSEM) were used: (i) WHO Functional Dentition (FDWHO); (ii) Well-distributed teeth (WDT); (iii) FD_class5 ; and (iv) FD_class6 . The indirect effects of SES on OHRQoL were measured in 5951 elderly participants in the São Paulo Oral Health 2015 (SBSP-15) survey. The latent variable (OHRQoL) was extracted from the Oral Impacts on Daily Performances questionnaire, and GSEM was used to estimate the direction of association among the variables.

Results: SES was directly and strongly associated with FDWHO (Total effects [SC] = 0.56, P < .001); WDT (Total Effects [SC] = 0.55, P < .001); FD_class5 (Total effects [SC] = 0.07, P < .001); and FD_class6 (Total effects [SC] = 0.05, P = .001). All FD outcomes mediate effects of SES on OHRQoL (P < .05). SES had a direct effect on happiness which, in turn, had a direct effect on OHRQoL ([SC] = 0.05, P < .001).

Conclusions: All definitions of FD were good at mediating the effects of SES on OHRQoL, showing the importance of occlusal and periodontal statuses of elderly individuals.