Effect of arch length on the functional well-being of dentate adults

The aim of this study was to assess the influence of arch length and the number of occlusal units on the oral functions and general satisfaction perceived by dentate adults without dentures who had all their aesthetic units intact. We performed an epidemiological study at randomly chosen health centres on populations of adults without dentures. The subjects (n = 624) were classified as complete dental arch (CDA), interrupted dental arch (IDA) or shortened dental arches (SDA), depending on the length and continuity of the dental arches. We gathered clinical data and data on functional ability and oral satisfaction, plotting them on a scale of 0-10. The individuals with a shortened dental arch were found to have longer-lasting, more frequent and more severe functional limitations upon chewing, smiling and speaking than those with a complete or interrupted arch. The prevalance rate ratio (95% CI) of functional limitations in the SDA group was higher than in the aggregated CDA-IDA group, the values ranging between 1.56 (1.22-12.01) as regards chewing and 2.35 (1.45-3.85) in the case of smiling. However, in general all groups were satisfied with their oral status.