Gender-based analysis of oral health-related quality of life in edentulous patients

Background: Edentulism, especially complete tooth loss, has a significant impact on oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL), affecting function, aesthetics, and psychosocial well-being. Although tools such as the OHIP-14 enable reliable assessment of this impact, their use remains limited in routine clinical practice, particularly in developing countries. This study aims to assess and compare the OHRQoL among patients with complete and partial edentulism rehabilitated with removable dentures. Objectives: This study aims to evaluate the gender-based differences in OHRQoL among patients with partial and total edentulism who received prosthetic treatment. Material and Methods: A prospective analytical study was conducted on 147 patients at the University Dental Clinical Center "St. Panteleimon" in Skopje from April to June 2024. Participants completed a culturally adapted OHIP-14 questionnaire. Non-parametric tests and Spearman's correlation were applied for data analysis. Results: Among 147 participants, 66 were males and 81 females; 65 had partial and 82 total edentulism. Female patients showed significantly poorer scores in the domains of physical pain, psychological distress, physical and psychological disability, and social disability (p < 0.001). Conclusions: Female patients reported significantly poorer oral health-related quality of life across multiple OHIP-14 domains, particularly in psychological and social aspects. These findings highlight the need for a personalized, gender-sensitive approach in prosthodontic treatment, incorporating psychosocial support and patient education.