Psychological And Social Effects Of Tooth Loss (Research Article)

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Dr. Muzaffer ASLAN, DDS, PhD

Abstract

A beautiful smile is a window to society and an important factor for a healthy life. It also creates a positive self-image for the personality. Tooth loss is a very traumatic and distressing experience psychologically. This situation is accepted as a serious event that creates important psychological problems in human life. Patients experience both physical and emotional deprivation following the loss of one or more teeth, which reduces their quality of life.


The aim of this study was to investigate the patient's desire, necessity and awareness for the restoration of missing teeth.


In the study, a questionnaire including questions about the physical, emotional and aesthetic effects of edentulism was applied to 200 patients of both sexes. The collected data were interpreted together with their reasons.


In our analysis, there were physical and emotional complaints related to missing teeth in most of our patients. However, those with missing teeth in the anterior region showed higher psychological and social disability scores, while those with missing teeth in the posterior region showed higher physical complaints and functional deficit scores.


As a result, anterior tooth loss has a far-reaching impact on both emotional and overall dental health. Anterior tooth restoration should be given priority when planning treatment. Therefore, when evaluating the restoration of missing teeth during the examination, the position of these missing teeth in the mouth should also be taken into account.

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