Impacto funcional y estético de la rehabilitación oral con prótesis removible en pacientes atendidos en la clínica odontológica UCSG en el semestre A-2026.

Abstract

Objective: To determine the functional and aesthetic perception of patients wearing removable prostheses treated at the Dental Clinic of the Catholic University of Santiago de Guayaquil during the A-2026 semester. Materials and methods: Fifty-three adult patients participated, selected via non-probability convenience sampling. A structured 15-question questionnaire was administered, covering four dimensions: retention and stability, masticatory function, phonetic function, and aesthetic satisfaction. Responses were rated using a 0-to-4 Likert scale. Evaluations were compared according to prosthesis type using the Kruskal-Wallis test, with a significance level of p < 0.05. Results: The mean age was 49.5 ± 12.7 years, and 69.8% were women. Removable partial dentures were the most used (77.4%). The median score for retention and stability was 16 points for both partial and complete denture wearers, with no significant differences (p = 0.812). No differences based on prosthesis type were found regarding masticatory function (p = 0.877), phonetic function (p = 0.921), or aesthetic satisfaction (p = 0.822). Effect sizes were minimal. Conclusion: Patients reported a favorable perception of retention, stability, mastication, phonetics, and aesthetics. The type of removable prosthesis did not significantly influence these dimensions.