Does the quality of advanced prosthetic dentistry determine patient satisfaction?

In a clinical follow-up study 42 patients were selected from an original sample of 335 individuals who had undergone extensive prosthetic treatment. The selection was done in accordance with a treatment satisfaction measure. The selected patients' appliances were classified in accordance with the California Dental Association (CDA) quality assessment system. Altogether, most of the new reconstructions were rated as satisfactory. The removable partial dentures had a somewhat higher share of non-acceptable appliances according to the CDA criteria. There was an association between the CDA categories and patient satisfaction. Using logistic regression analysis and knowing the CDA rating, we could correctly classify 67% of the patients with regard to the satisfaction measure. The satisfaction measure was modified on the basis of an interview, improving the model to 83% correctly classified. It was concluded that the technical quality of the prosthodontic treatment was associated with patient satisfaction.