Frecuencia de edentulismo y factores asociados en pacientes adultos.

Abstract

Objective: To determine the frequency of partial edentulism and its associated factors in adult patients treated at the Dental Clinic of the Catholic University of Santiago de Guayaquil during the A-2026 period. Materials and methods: A quantitative, cross-sectional, observational, and analytical study was conducted on 120 adult patients. An intraoral clinical examination was used to record present and missing teeth, affected arches, Kennedy classifications, and Applegate modifications. Data on age, sex, and educational level were also collected. Statistical analysis involved frequencies, percentages, Pearson's chi-square test, and Fisher's exact test, with a significance level of p < 0.05. Results: Partial edentulism was present in both arches in 60.8% of patients, in the lower arch only in 29.2%, and in the upper arch only in 10%. Among the 193 partially edentulous arches, Kennedy Class III predominated (53.4%), followed by Class II (22.8%), Class I (21.8%), and Class IV (2.1%). Modification 1 was the most frequent in both the upper (35.3%) and lower (55.6%) arches. Age showed a significant association with Kennedy classifications in both arches (p < 0.001). No associations were found with sex or educational level. Conclusion: Class III and Modification 1 were the most frequent findings. Class III predominated in younger patients, while Class I was more common in older adults.