Aim: This study was conducted to provide a patient assessment of intraoral prostheses among subjects who reported to the Department of Prosthodontics, Institute of Dental Sciences, Belgaum.
Methods: A nine-item self-designed closed-ended questionnaire was recorded followed by a clinical examination. Patients who reported in a period of 2 months and had at least one prosthesis with a duration of usage of at least 1 month were included for the study. Collected data was statistically analyzed using the chi(2)-test at a significance level of P < 0.05.
Results: The questionnaire was answered by 125 patients, 72 completely edentulous and 53 partially edentulous, with age ranging 16-84 years (mean age, 54.13 +/- 17 years). There was a wide variation in the duration of usage of prostheses, ranging 3 months to 27 years. Statistically, a highly significant difference was found between age and duration of prostheses (chi(2) = 77.29, P < 0.001), between the type of prostheses being used with age and opinion with existing prostheses. When opinion regarding existing prostheses was compared with sex, age and duration of prostheses being used, a statistically significant difference was found between opinion with existing prostheses and age, sex and duration of prostheses. Of the patients, 49.6% complained of loss of function, 14.4% of loose prostheses and 7.2% reported pain with the existing prostheses.
Conclusion: Loss of function was the most common complaint with the existing prostheses among complete denture wearers. As the majority of the patients using fixed prostheses had no complaint with the prostheses, attention should be paid to preservation of natural teeth.