Effect of complete denture on memory and depression status in elderly patients

Abstract

Aim: One common complaint among the elderly is memory decline and tooth loss due to aging. Tooth loss affects masticatory function and reportedly may also contribute to the occurrence of memory disorders and depression. The aim of this study was to analyze the influence of complete denture use on memory capacity and depression level in elderly patients. Materials and methods: The study was conducted at Hasanuddin University Dental Hospital. The study was a clinical experiment with nonrandomized design with pre- and post-tests. A purposive sampling technique was used with six fully edentulous patients willing to participate. Memory status was measured using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), and level of depression was evaluated using the geriatric depression scale (GDS). Memory status and level of depression measurements were performed before using complete dentures and 1 month after using complete dentures. The data were analyzed using statistical paired t-test. Results: At the 95% confidence level p < 0.05, the results showed a significant difference (increase) between initial MMSE average value (25.67) and the final MMSE average value (26.83). There was no significant change in the level of depression p > 0.05 between initial GDS (5.17) and final GDS (4.17). Conclusion: This study indicates that the use of complete dentures by fully edentulous patients may improve memory status, but does not seem to have a significant impact on depression level. Clinical significance: The relationship between tooth loss, depression, and memory is a complex relationship, where depression could be both a cause and an effect of memory dysfunction. Improvement of memory status using complete dentures will help to restore confidence level of elderly patients.