Distribution and evaluation of complete dentures in a population in northern Norway

The frequency and distribution of complete dentures were studied in a population of 358 persons aged 20--69 living in a community in Northern Norway. Among the 83% who attended the investigation, 49% had a maxillary and 26% a mandibular denture. The occurrence of dentures increased with increasing age and with decreasing income and/or social class, while dentures were almost equally common in both sexes, when differences of age and income were taken into account. Of the participants between 50--69 years 39% had received their first maxillary denture at the age 17--24 years. In the age group 30--49 years the corresponding percentage was 20. Forty-four percent of the participants had maxillary dentures and 33% mandibular dentures which were older than 10 years. According to an index on the clinical evaluation of complete dentures as well as to the denture wearers' own opinion, the insufficiency of the dentures tended to increase with increasing age of the dentures. Sex, age, income and social class, however, were found to have only a minor effect on the age and the condition of the dentures as well as on the denture wearers' degree of satisfaction with their dentures. Persons who had natural mandibular teeth, tended to be less satisfied with their maxillary dentures than persons with complete dentures in both jaws.