Patients’ perception about the outcomes of prosthetic treatment in Southern Brazil

Aim: this study assessed the patients’ perception of the outcomes of prosthetic treatment in a University of Southern Brazil. Methods: patients seeking for prosthetic treatment were invited to answer a questionnaire with 41 items about the potential risks, benefits, and consequences of no treatment. Answers were obtained according to a five-item Likert-scale varying from 1 (completely disagree) to 5 (completely agree). Sociodemographic data was included in the comparison. Mann-Whitney or Kruskal-Wallis (95%) compared data depending on the variable. Results: two-hundred twenty-five patients answered the questionnaire. Median age of participants was 45-54 years. The potential benefits were similar among participants irrespective of the variable adopted. The perception of risks was significant influenced by variables gender, age, education level, type of edentulous space, prior treatment with prosthodontics, type of prosthodontics, and prosthodontics usage in years. Consequences of no treatment were affected by age, prior treatment with prosthodontics, and prosthodontics usage in years. Conclusions: the study showed the fundamental importance of correct elucidation about the potential risks (negative perception) in the initial appointment for the studied population. Elucidation about the consequences of no treatment are relevant because some differences were seen into the variables. Prosthodontics patients from the city of Passo Fundo seem well informed about the benefits of the prosthetic treatment, besides the significant influence of some sociodemographic and prosthetic conditions.