The German Shortened Dental Arch Study: Quality of Life
Objectives: A multi-center randomized clinical trial (RCT) is under way at 14 university dental schools in Germany to compare two prosthetic treatment alternatives for the shortened dental arch. One aim of the RCT was to measure the effect of the tested treatment alternatives on the oral health-related quality of life (OHQoL).
Methods: Inclusion criteria of the RCT were: all molars of the test arch were missing but at least both canines and one premolar in each quadrant were present. Two hundred-fifteen participants were randomly assigned to receive either removable dental prostheses including molar replacement (RDP_group) or retain a shortened dental arch (SDA_group). The Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-49) were completed by participants before treatment (pre-treatment), six weeks (baseline), 6 month and then annually (12m, 24m, 36m) after treatment.
Results: From the 215 randomized participants 152 participants reach baseline. At the 36m follow-up, OHIP-data of 71 women and 63 men (mean age: 59 years) were available. Medians of the OHIP total-scores were as follows: RDP (n=72), 38.0 (pre-treatment), 27.0 (baseline), 13.0 (12m), 13.5 (24m), 13.0 (36m). SDA (n=61): 40.0 (pre-treatment), 19.0 (baseline), 15.5 (12m), 15.0 (24m), 16.0 (36m). Significant differences (P≤0.0001) were found in both groups between pre-treatment and all follow up sessions; between baseline and 12m/24m/36m only in group RDP (P≤0.05) but not in group SDA (P>0.05). However between the follow-ups 12m, 24m and 36m no significant differences were found in both groups (P>0.05). There were no significant differences between treatment groups at any time (P>0.05).
Conclusion: Within each group, an improvement of OHQoL was observed. This improvement increased within the first year for the RDP group. Thereafter no significant change was observed within the next two years for both groups. No significant differences in OHQoL were found between the two treatment concepts. (Supported by DFG: grant WA 831/2-1-6).
Division: IADR/AADR/CADR General Session
Meeting:2009 IADR/AADR/CADR General Session (Miami, Florida) Location: Miami, Florida
Year: 2009 Final Presentation ID:1716 Abstract Category|Abstract Category(s):Prosthodontics Research
Authors
Wolfart, Stefan
( RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, N/A, Germany
)