What do patients expect from extensive restorative dental treatment?

A specially designed questionnaire was sent to 489 patients waiting for major prosthodontic treatment. Further material regarding these patients was collected from treatment files and public records. The study aimed to describe the patient group from a socio-economic standpoint and to identify factors affecting the patient's expectations concerning prosthodontic treatment. The overall response rate was 84.2%. The patient group was found to differ significantly from the general population only in regard to educational level which was lower. The study indicated that patients expected the forthcoming prosthodontic therapy to enhance their general well-being. In the subgroup of patients awaiting implants, expectations of a better chewing function were salient. Therefore, from the results of this study it is not possible to extrapolate uncritically to other groups and other conditions. A number of economical, cultural and social conditions could have a major impact on attitudes regarding prosthodontic treatment.