RESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: The aims of this retrospective study were to evaluate patient satisfaction with fixed partial dentures (FPDs) 5-8 years following placement and to assess their awareness of oral health and oral hygiene practices using a survey questionnaire. METHODS: The questionnaire consisted of 15 statements on patients' subjective perception of treatment with FPDs. Patients' perceptions of clinical outcome in terms of aesthetics, masticatory efficiency, speech, and comfort of the FPD were scored on a 4-point ordinal scale. Another group of questions looked into patients' attitudes regarding oral hygiene measures; these responses were measured on a binary scale. A third group of questions determined patients' awareness of bleeding gingivae, and the final group of questions assessed if patients' expectations had been met, willingness to undergo the same treatment again and recommend it to others. RESULTS: Eighty-five patients with 99 FPDs, treated between 5 and 8 years previously (mean, 6.1 years; median, 6.2 years), participated in the study. Mean follow-up time was 6.1 years. There were 87.9% of FPDs that were 3-4 units in design and 44% included anterior teeth. The 5-year survival of the FPDs was 92.3%. Patient satisfaction with the functional aspects of the FPDs was generally very high; 95% were definitely or somewhat satisfied with the aesthetic appearance, 96% with chewing comfort, and 100% with the ability to speak normally. Ninety-one percent found the costs to be definitely or somewhat reasonable. Ninety-nine percent felt that the treatment had definitely or somewhat turned out as they had expected, 95% would definitely or somewhat be willing to recommend the same treatment to friends, and 92% would undergo the same treatment again. Fifty-six percent of patients reported using some form of interdental aid and 86% reported being able to clean their prostheses without problems. However, 35% reported some bleeding around their prostheses during cleaning, and 74-78% of patients felt that bleeding around natural teeth and bridges during cleaning was only a minor problem or not a problem. CONCLUSION: More than 90% of patients were satisfied with having missing teeth replaced with FPDs from a functional and aesthetic point of view. Costs were considered to be reasonable by the majority of patients and most would undergo the same treatment again and also recommend the treatment to others. Only about half of patients used some form of interdental cleaning and most were unaware of the significance of bleeding around the gingiva of natural teeth and FPDs.