Patients' satisfaction and functional assessment of existing complete dentures: correlation with objective masticatory function.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the correlation between patients' and dentist's assessment of dentures and to correlate these variables with objective measures of masticatory function. A sample of 28 edentulous individuals was selected, all wearing both complete dentures for at least 6 months and with no signs or symptoms of temporomandibular joint disorders. They rated their level of satisfaction with their dentures from 0 to 100 by means of a visual analogue scale, and dentures were scored by a dentist from 0 to 9 considering functional aspects. Tooth wear was evaluated on the posterior teeth of dentures considering the lack of occlusal anatomy. Masticatory performance and swallowing threshold tests were performed with an artificial test food (Optocal), and the median particle size was determined by the sieving method. The results showed that the mean satisfaction value of volunteers with their dentures was 49·1 and the median score of dentist's evaluation was 6. The Spearman correlation coefficient revealed no significant correlation between patients' and dentist's assessment of dentures (P>0·05). The median particle size for masticatory performance and swallowing thresholds was 5·5 ± 1·0 and 4·9 ± 1·2 mm, respectively. Data of both masticatory tests showed no significant correlation with patients' satisfaction or with dentist's evaluation of dentures. There was no difference of food comminution between subjects with and without excessive posterior tooth wear. It can be concluded that dentist's and patients' assessment of dentures were not correlated, and no correlation was observed between these variables and masticatory function.