Multivariate analysis of different factors affecting the patient general satisfaction with complete dentures

The aim of the study was to investigate different factors that affect the level of patient's general satisfaction with maxillary and mandibular complete dentures (CDs) using a multivariate analysis. A total of 100 CD wearers participated in this study. There were 46 men (37-77 years old; mean age 62.6 +/- 9.2) and 54 women (34-77 years old; mean age 60.9 +/- 9.3). In the questionnaire the patients answered the questions regarding gender, age, number of previous CDs worn, the present dentures' age and denture-wearing habits. Participants rated the level of their satisfaction with the esthetics, retention, speech, mastication, sense of taste, comfort and general satisfaction with their CDs. More than 70% of the examined patients claimed all the examined variables to be the best-score category. Of the 9 factors examined, satisfaction with the mastication and esthetics, denture-wearing habits and satisfaction with retention in the maxilla explained the variability of the patients's general satisfaction with their CDs by 72%. Satisfaction with the mastication, denture-wearing habits and satisfaction with speech and comfort in mandible explained the variability of the patients's general satisfaction with their CDs by 79%. These findings suggest that the general patient satisfaction with maxillary CDs is related more to the mastication and retention abilities, as well as with esthetics and denture-wearing habits, while in the mandible CDs is related to mastication and speaking abilities, denture-wearing habits and comfort of wearing.