[Impact of the existing tooth number on daily performance: pilot study]

To establish the relation between the aspects associated to the number of the teeth and the impact on daily performance it was realized a pilot study with 75 voluntary patients that had been divided in three groups: short arch, complete and toothless. To evaluate the impact the IODD was used (Index of the Oral Impacts on Daily Performance). The results had evidenced that 16% of the participants had at least one daily activity affected. Although it have not been registered significant difference between the groups in relation to each one of the activities, the percentage that the complete arch group was less affected with the activity: to chew, to speak/to pronounce words and to smile clearly, on the other hand the activities that had less affected the toothless group were: to clean the mouth/teeth and to sleep. In relation to the mean of the IODD, that was lower in the group with complete arc and it was similar between the others two groups. The means of the variables: frequency and severity of the impacts were less in the group with the complete arch and had values approached in the others two groups. Based on the results, could be concluded that no significant differences were registered between the groups in relation to each one of the affected daily activities.