Aesthetic demand of French seniors: a large-scale study

作者：Wulfman Claudine^*; du Montcel Sophie Tezenas; Jonas Pierre; Fattouh Jalal; Rignon Bret Christophe

来源：Gerodontology, 2010, 27(4): 266-271.

DOI：10.1111/j.1741-2358.2009.00331.x

• aesthetics
• older adults
• dental appearance
• self-esteem

Objectives:
The needs of seniors for oral health and aesthetics are growing, as are their demands for aesthetics. This large-scale study aims to identify the demand for aesthetics for a population aged over 55, and the influence of age and gender.
Methods:
A 15-item questionnaire was placed on the web in partnership with a major magazine dedicated to seniors. It reflected practitioners' questions with regard to senior patient expectations: aesthetic demand assessment, most commonly expressed complaints, the importance given to tooth colour, knowledge of available therapeutic treatments and motivation levels for treatment.
Results:
The survey generated 3868 responses, 61% from women; 77% of respondents declared being satisfied to very satisfied with their smile. Their highest priority to improve their smile was tooth alignment, followed by their shape, length and shade. Although 60% of respondents were satisfied with their current shading, 53% would prefer to have them whitened. Aesthetic treatments were well-known to seniors. Over four-fifths of them had heard of dental implants and ceramic crowns. Two-thirds of those who wished to improve their smile were considering dental treatment.
Conclusion:
The high number of collected questionnaires confirms the strong interest shown by seniors for dental aesthetics, particularly from women. Baby-boomers seem more attentive to the appearance of their smile than their elders. However, the importance of appearance decreases with age, as it becomes less of a priority, with attention more focused on general health.

• 出版日期2010-12