Association between self-rated oral appearance and the need for dental prostheses among elderly Brazilians

We investigated the association between poor self-rated oral appearance and the need for dental prostheses among elderly Brazilians. National data from an epidemiological survey on oral health in Brazil conducted from 2002 to 2003 by the Ministry of Health (SB, Brazil) with a multistage random sample of 4,839 individuals aged 65-74 years in 250 towns were analyzed. The dependent variable was self-rated oral appearance, dichotomized into "poor" (poor/very poor) and "good" (fair/good/very good). The main independent variable was the need for an upper or lower dental prosthesis. Other variables included sociodemographic characteristics, approach to dental care, oral health conditions, and self-reported oral disadvantage. Data were analyzed using the chi-square test and Poisson regression models at a 95% significance level. The prevalence of poor self-rated oral appearance was 20.6% and was higher in the elderly who needed a partial or complete upper or lower prosthesis, independent of other variables. This prevalence was associated with age, the use of dental services, access to information about oral disease prevention, number of decayed teeth, self-perception of the need for treatment, dental pain, chewing ability, and the perception that oral health affects relationships with other people. The elderly who needed dental prostheses had a higher prevalence of poor self-rated oral appearance than those who did not need any.