Treatment Outcomes Based on Patients’ Self‐Reported Measures after Receiving New Clasp or Precision Attachment‐Retained Removable Partial Dentures

Purpose To evaluate effects of a treatment taking into consideration esthetics, chewing, and oral health‐related quality of life (OHRQoL) of two tooth replacement strategies for maxillary partially edentulous patients with clasp (C‐RPD) and precision attachment (PA‐RPD) retained removable partial dentures (RPD). Materials and Methods The study included 150 patients (72 men, 78 women) who received maxillary RPDs; 88 patients received clasp and 62 patients received precision attachment retained RPDs. Patients completed three questionnaires before treatment and again 3 months after treatment: the Orofacial Esthetic Scale (OES), the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP‐14), and the Chewing Function Questionnaire (CFQ). Statistical analysis comprised descriptive statistics, paired t‐test, and two‐factor ANOVA. Results Both RPD treatments yielded better after‐treatment summary scores when compared with the baseline scores (p < 0.01); however, better results were obtained in the PA‐RPD group. Gender, as a single factor, did not yield significant effects; mutual interaction of retention type and gender yielded significant effects. The PA‐RPD female group assessed esthetics, chewing function, and OHRQoL significantly better than males, and significantly worse than males in the C‐RPD group. The covariate baseline scores yielded statistically significant effects; patients with worse pretreatment condition benefited more from both therapies. Conclusions Treatment outcomes were better in the PA‐RPD group than the C‐RPDs. Women showed greater concern for the treatment outcomes; their rates were significantly better than in male patients in the PA‐RPD group; however, when their satisfaction was lower, their rates were significantly worse than in male patients (in the C‐RPD group).