Prosthetic Status of Partially Edentulous Congolese Adults and Causes of Non-Prosthetic Rehabilitation

Context: Prosthetic treatments for partial edentulism aim to restore or improve oral functions such as mastication, phonation and aesthetics. They have an impact on nutritional status, general health and quality of life. Objectives: To determine the frequency and determinants of wearing dental prostheses in partial edentulous Congolese adults as well as the reasons of prosthetic non-rehabilitation. Methods: Partial edentulous patients attending five medical-dental centers in Kinshasa were included in this cross-sectional study. Each patient completed a questionnaire and underwent a clinical examination. Chi-square test was used for searching associations between variables and logistic regression for determinants. The significance level was 0.05. Results: Three hundred partial edentulous patients with an average age of 40.3 ± 15.9 years participated in this study. 11% (CI: 7.5% and 14.5%) of partial edentulous Congolese adults wore a dental prosthesis. Age was the independent determinant of denture wearing. Young adults (under 30) were 5 times more likely to not wear dentures than older people. The absence of discomfort was the major reason for not prosthetic rehabilitation (32%) followed by finances (30%). Conclusion: Very few partially edentulous Congolese adults were prosthetics wearer. Age was the only determinant.