Analysis of Dental Prosthetic Treatment in Patients with Cancer Aged 65 Years and Older after Expanded Health Insurance Coverage: A Retrospective Clinical Study

Abstract

Background and Objectives: With increases in cancer incidence and the number of cancer survivors, the demand for cancer management is growing. However, studies on dental prosthetic treatment for patients with cancer are rare. We aim to investigate the dental prosthetic treatment in patients with cancer aged ≥65 years after expanded health insurance coverage. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study included patients who were treated with implants and removable dentures at Ulsan University Hospital in South Korea between June 2015 and June 2023. Data on age, sex, cancer location, comorbid systemic diseases, number of remaining teeth, dental prosthetic treatment history, type of dental prosthetic treatment, and insurance coverage status were extracted from patient medical records and panoramic radiographs. The influence of multiple variables on dental prosthetic treatment was analyzed using the Chi-square and Fisher’s exact tests. Results: The study included 61 patients with cancer (32 men, 29 women; average age: 70.9 years). Among them, 56 (91.8%) had insurance coverage benefits, and 34 (55.7%) received treatments such as implants, removable partial dentures, or complete dentures for the first time. Treatment types included 37 (60.7%) cases of implant prostheses and 24 (39.3%) conventional removable dentures. No statistical differences were observed in the type of dental prosthetic treatment according to sex, age, cancer location, number of systemic diseases, and dental prosthetic treatment history (p > 0.05). Patients with <10 remaining teeth received treatment with conventional removable dentures, which was statistically significant (p < 0.001). Conclusions: Of the 61 patients, 56 (91.8%) received insurance benefits, and 34 (55.7%) underwent dental prosthetic treatment for the first time. Within the limitations of this retrospective study, the expanded health insurance coverage alleviated the unmet demand for dental prosthetic treatment. As cancer prevalence continues to increase, expanding customized health insurance coverage is crucial to meet this demand.