Longitudinal Changes in Patient-Reported Orofacial Esthetics (OES-G) Following Fixed and Removable Prosthodontic Treatment: An Observational Study.

Abstract

Objectives: To investigate longitudinal changes in patient-reported orofacial esthetics during prosthodontic treatment using the German version of the Orofacial Esthetic Scale (OES-G) and to assess differences according to prosthesis type and restoration stage.

Materials and methods: This retrospective longitudinal observational study evaluated longitudinal OES-G data from 65 patients who underwent prosthodontic treatment, including fixed (n = 31) and removable (n = 34) prosthetic restorations. Orofacial esthetics were assessed using OES-G at baseline before treatment (T0), one week after treatment (T1), and two months after treatment (T2). Longitudinal changes were analyzed using linear mixed-effects models with time, prosthesis type, restoration stage, and their interaction as fixed effects. Internal consistency was assessed using Cronbach's alpha coefficients.

Results: OES-G total scores increased significantly over time, rising from 51.5 ± 11.6 at baseline to 58.4 ± 8.9 at T1 and 60.3 ± 7.6 at T2. Significant time effects were observed in mixed-effects analyses (p < 0.001), with the largest improvement occurring between baseline and T2 (ΔM = +8.78, 95% CI +6.72 to +10.87). Definitive restorations were associated with significantly higher OES-G scores than provisional restorations (p = 0.021). Prosthesis type was not significantly associated with OES-G scores (p = 0.069); however, patients receiving removable prostheses demonstrated descriptively greater improvements over time. Internal consistency remained high across all assessment time points (Cronbach's α = 0.870-0.905).

Conclusions: Patient-reported orofacial esthetics improved significantly following prosthodontic treatment and continued to evolve during follow-up. The findings support the OES-G as a reliable instrument for longitudinal assessment of patient-centered esthetic outcomes in prosthodontic care.