Premium
Differentiating dental satisfaction in Finns by means of discriminant analyses
Author(s) -
Murtomaa Heikki,
Laine Pentti
Publication year - 1985
Publication title -
community dentistry and oral epidemiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.061
H-Index - 101
eISSN - 1600-0528
pISSN - 0301-5661
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0528.1985.tb00409.x
Subject(s) - dentures , medicine , dentition , dentistry , linear discriminant analysis , orthodontics , population , patient satisfaction , nursing , environmental health , statistics , mathematics
In March 1983 dental satisfaction was studied by interviews with a sample comprising 957 persons drawn to cover the total Finnish population aged 15 yr or over. 34% of the interviewees wore removable dentures of some kind. 78% of persons with only natural teeth and 56% of denture wearers were satisfied with their dentition (subjective estimation of dentition excellent or good). Among persons with only natural teeth the level of satisfaction differed significantly with respect to sex, age, toothbrushing frequency and the latest dental visit. Such a difference was not found among denture wearers. The time elapsed since the latest dental visit was the most important single variable in the discriminant analyses of the level of satisfaction both in the whole series and among persons with only natural teeth. Sex was the only variable in the discriminant analysis which related to satisfaction with dentition among denture wearers. The classification of disatisfied persons, with and without removable dentures, was far from adequate. It was rarely possible to predict satisfaction with removable dentures using discriminant analysis. The results depict the complexity of the problem. More understanding is needed of the contributions of psychologic factors to patient behavior.