Socioeconomic factors and complete edentulism in north karnataka population.

Complete edentulism is the terminal outcome of a multifactorial process involving biological factors and patient related factors. Tooth loss associated with periodontal disease and caries has an apparent impact on an individual's quality of life, and has been associated with lower levels of satisfaction with life and a lower morale. The rate of total edentulism is said to be increasing in developing countries and this had been attributed mainly to the high prevalence of periodontal diseases and caries. The distribution and prevelance of complete edentulism between developed and less developed countries may be associated with a complex interrelationship between cultural, individual, attitude, behavior, dental attendance, etiopathogenesis of edentulism, access to care and socioeconomic factors. The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship between socio-demographic factors and edentulism. In order to plan for future oral health care provisions for the society, collecting epidemiological data on oral health particularly related to prosthodontics and its related issues are very important.