Impact of personality traits on prosthodontic patients

Determining oral health-related quality of life in elderly patientswith removable prostheses who have increased difficulty inreporting oral issues is imperative for a successful rehabilitation.Aim: Our objective is to assess the extent to which a trace,or personality dimension, can influence oral health-relatedquality of life (OHRQoL) in rehabilitated patients. Methods:135 participants rehabilitated with removable prosthesis wereevaluated in the Clinical Unit of Removable Prosthodontics ofthe Faculty of Dental Medicine of Porto University, Portugal. TheOral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-14) questionnaire was appliedto evaluate oral health-related quality of life, along with theEysenck Personality Inventory (E.P.I.) to determine a personalitytrait. Statistical analysis was carried out using Mann-Whitney,Student's t-test, Spearman's rho and linear regression. Results:No statistical correlation was found concerning age, gender andoral health-related quality of life. Regarding the latter, the highestagreement was found on the question involving "pain in teeth".The prevalence of acrylic partial dentures, as opposed to partialdentures with metallic framework, was substantially higher. Nosignificant association between both extraversion/neuroticism(E.P.I.) and oral health-related quality of life (OHIP-14) uponrehabilitation with removable prostheses was found (p>0,05).In our study, personality traits neuroticism and extraversion didnot influence oral health-related quality of life with removableprostheses. However, we should not overlook the importance ofother psychological factors (such as motivation or perception)and their role in determining oral health-related quality of life.Conclusion: Personality traits "extraversion" and "neuroticism"did not influence oral health-related quality of life

Locator® attachment system for implant overdentures: a systematic review.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the success rate, complications, maintenance and patient satisfaction with implant-supported overdentures with the Locator® system, by means of a systematic review. MATERIALS AND METHODS: PICO approach was used to formulate the clinical question. Research was conducted in primary (PubMed® and B-On®) and secondary (Cochrane®) information sources using different logical combination strategies of text words and MESH terms. Articles were selected according to research theme and scientific level evidence. RESULTS: 55 articles were found. After reading the title and summary, and evaluating the article's level of scientific evidence, only ten were included for analysis. Eight studies were related to rehabilitations in the mandible and two were bi-maxillary. The analysis of the studies showed that complications and type of maintenance are primarily related to the loss of retention and the need to replace the nylon male component of the system. Patient's satisfaction was highlighted in five articles of this research. CONCLUSION: The overall satisfaction rates of patients seem to indicate this system as a viable clinical option of prosthetic rehabilitation. Overdentures with the Locator® system appear to hold a good retention, either in the upper or lower jaw, but require frequent maintenance visits, due to complications observed in these prosthodontic rehabilitations.

Holographic stress analysis in a distal extension removable partial denture.

This study examines stress analysis of the mandible when submitted to mastication simulated forces over a distal extension removable partial denture. Two situations were analyzed upon loading: small pins had been placed over the bone crest and under the denture; low amplitude loads were applied over tooth 34-37. Holographic interferometry techniques were used to assess mandible's deformation. Results indicate that a correct adaptation of the denture base is critical to reduce stresses in the mandible. High stress levels in the second molar region suggest its non-inclusion in these prosthetic rehabilitations.