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January 10, 2026Dentistry JournalOpen Access

Prosthetic Status, Removable Prostheses and Quality of Life in Older Adults: A Retrospective Cross-Sectional Analysis Within a Population-Based Study

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Key result

Removable dental prostheses show no benefit for oral health-related quality of life.

Why the study?

Removable dental prostheses are widely used to treat tooth loss, yet their impact on life satisfaction and oral health-related quality of life remains uncertain.

Does the use of removable dental prostheses improve life satisfaction and oral health-related quality of life in older adults with dental deficiencies?

Population

986 adults aged ≥50 years from the Białystok PLUS cohort

Comparison

No deficiencies vs deficiencies without prostheses vs deficiencies with removable dental prostheses

Design

Retrospective cross-sectional analysis

Authors

KWKinga WnorowskaUniversity of Dental MedicineKDKatarzyna DębkowskaUniversity of BiałystokZBZuzanna BorawskaUniversity Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust

Discussion

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Implication

May not support OHRQoL gains from removable prostheses in older adults; leaves open causal effects in prospective studies.

Key Points

  • This analysis aims to investigate dental deficiencies, the use of removable dental prostheses, and their impact on life satisfaction and quality of life.
  • Retrospective cross-sectional analysis of 986 adults aged ≥50 years.
  • Participants classified into three groups based on dental deficiencies and prosthetic status.
  • Life satisfaction measured using the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS).
  • Oral health-related quality of life assessed with the Geriatric Oral Health Assessment Index (GOHAI).
  • Statistical analyses included Kruskal–Wallis test and correspondence analysis.
  • Partial mandibular deficiencies were the most common and less frequently treated than maxillary defects.
  • Life satisfaction scores did not significantly differ between groups (p = 0.326).
  • OHRQoL scores significantly differed, with Group 0 scoring highest (55.7) compared to Group 1 (53.0) and Group 2 (52.7).
  • Users of prostheses often reported dissatisfaction related to appearance and comfort while eating.

Structured PICO

Does the use of removable dental prostheses improve life satisfaction and oral health-related quality of life in older adults with dental deficiencies?

P
Population
986 adults aged ≥50 years from the Białystok PLUS cohort (2018–2024)
I
Intervention
Removable dental prostheses (RDPs) (Group 2)
C
Comparator
Dental deficiencies without prostheses (Group 1) and no dental deficiencies (Group 0)
O
Outcome
Life satisfaction measured by the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) and oral health-related quality of life measured by the Geriatric Oral Health Assessment Index (GOHAI)patient reported

Removable dental prostheses do not improve, and may reduce, perceived oral health-related quality of life compared to having dental deficiencies without prostheses.

Cite This Study

Wnorowska et al. (2025) studied this question. Removable dental prostheses did not improve oral health-related quality of life, with Group 2 scoring lower (52.7) than those without deficiencies (Group 0: 55.7).

synapsesocial.com/papers/6963223491e05aa366cb8cfehttps://doi.org/10.3390/dj14010007
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