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Healthcare
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Oral Health and Rehabilitation in the Elderly Population
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Oral Health and Rehabilitation in the Elderly Population

A special issue of Healthcare (ISSN 2227-9032).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 January 2026 | Viewed by 3827

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Yoichiro Ogino

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Section of Fixed Prosthodontics, Division of Oral Rehabilitation, Faculty of Dental Science, Kyushu University, 3-1-1 Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan
Interests: etiology; dentistry; oral function
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

It is my pleasure to announce this Special Issue, entitled “Oral Health and Rehabilitation in the Elderly Population”. Increases in life expectancy commonly bring about multimorbidity and polypharmacy in the elderly population that live at their homes, nursing homes, or hospitals. The impacts on them of oral health has been suggested, and clinical management must be required.

This Special Issue aims to report the current data of oral health and oral rehabilitations in the elderly population depending on their present conditions.

In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following:

  • An epidemiologic study on oral health in the elderly population.
  • A comparative study to analyze the effect of oral rehabilitation on the elderly population.

I look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Yoichiro Ogino
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Healthcare is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • elderly population
  • oral health
  • oral function
  • oral rehabilitation
  • dental treatment

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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12 pages, 504 KB  
Article
Characteristics of Morphology in Older Adult Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea: A Retrospective Cross-Sectional Study
by Liqin Wang, Keishi Wada, Kentaro Okuno, Akio Himejima, Ayako Masago and Kazuya Takahashi
Healthcare 2025, 13(17), 2190; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare13172190 - 2 Sep 2025
Viewed by 506
Abstract
Objective: The prevalence and severity of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) increase with age, suggesting that age-related factors are etiological factors for OSA in older adults. In addition to anatomic contractions of the upper respiratory tract, such as those caused by obesity and retrognathia, [...] Read more.
Objective: The prevalence and severity of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) increase with age, suggesting that age-related factors are etiological factors for OSA in older adults. In addition to anatomic contractions of the upper respiratory tract, such as those caused by obesity and retrognathia, sleep is impaired in older OSA patients due to aging. Although aging has long been associated with structural changes in the upper airway potential, specific age-related anatomical differences in patients with OSA are not established. This study aimed to examine age-related morphological differences in OSA patients, particularly in older adults. Methods: This study was designed as a retrospective cross-sectional study conducted at the Center for Dental Sleep Medicine, Osaka Dental University, between May 2017 and September 2022. From an initial cohort of 1032 patients, 183 male participants were included after applying strict inclusion and exclusion criteria. Patients were classified into two age groups: middle age (40–60 years) and older age (≥65 years). Polysomnographic parameters; body mass index (BMI); airway space (AS) obtained from cephalometric radiographs; length of the soft palate (PNS-P); SNB angle, as an indicator of mandibular position; and the position of the hyoid bone (MP-H) were compared between the groups. Statistical analysis included Levene’s test for homogeneity of variances, independent sample t-tests for group comparisons, and multiple regression analyses to identify independent predictors of AHI. This study was conducted with the approval of the Ethics Committee of Osaka Dental University (No. 111047). Results: Older patients showed significantly lower REM sleep percentage (13.5 ± 1.31% vs. 16.4 ± 0.59%, p = 0.047), significantly lower BMI (23.6 ± 0.45 kg/m2 vs. 24.6 ± 0.29 kg/m2, p = 0.049), and significantly larger AS (15.8 ± 0.52 mm vs. 12.0 ± 0.27 mm, p = 0.000) compared to middle-aged patients. Furthermore, in the middle-aged group, BMI (β = 0.40, 95% CI: 1.46 to 3.41, p < 0.001), SNB (β = −0.18, 95% CI: −1.75 to −0.09, p = 0.030), and MP-H (β = 0.19, 95% CI: 0.10 to 1.01, p = 0.018) were significant independent predictors of AHI. In the older group, no parameters were significant predictors of AHI. Conclusions: We found that older adult patients had a larger airway diameter and lower REM sleep percentage and BMI than middle-aged patients. Furthermore, regarding factors associated with AHI, which is an indicator of sleep apnea severity, in the middle-aged group, anatomical factors such as BMI, SNA, and MPH contributed significantly, but in the older adult group, anatomical factors were not relevant. The results suggested that anatomical factors alone may not fully explain the pathogenesis of OSA in older patients, highlighting the need for further studies focusing on other age-related factors. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Oral Health and Rehabilitation in the Elderly Population)
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17 pages, 592 KB  
Article
Regional Differences in Awareness of Oral Frailty and Associated Individual and Municipal Factors: A Cross-Sectional Study
by Nandin Uchral Altanbagana, Koichiro Irie, Wenqun Song, Shinya Fuchida, Jun Aida and Tatsuo Yamamoto
Healthcare 2025, 13(15), 1916; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare13151916 - 5 Aug 2025
Viewed by 539
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Despite growing interest in oral frailty as a public health issue, no nationwide study has assessed regional differences in oral frailty awareness, and the factors associated with such differences remain unclear. This study investigated regional differences in oral frailty awareness among [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Despite growing interest in oral frailty as a public health issue, no nationwide study has assessed regional differences in oral frailty awareness, and the factors associated with such differences remain unclear. This study investigated regional differences in oral frailty awareness among older adults in Japan and identified the associated individual- and municipal-level factors, focusing on local policy measures and community-based oral health programs. Methods: A cross-sectional analysis was conducted using data from the 2022 wave of the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study. The analytical sample comprised 20,330 community-dwelling adults aged ≥65 years from 66 municipalities. Awareness of oral frailty was assessed via self-administered questionnaires. Individual- and municipal-level variables were analyzed using multilevel Poisson regression models to calculate prevalence ratios (PRs). Results: Awareness of oral frailty varied widely across municipalities, ranging from 15.3% to 47.1%. Multilevel analysis showed that being male (PR: 1.10), having ≤9 years (PR: 1.10) or 10 to 12 years of education (PR: 1.04), having oral frailty (PR: 1.04), and lacking civic participation (PR: 1.06) were significantly associated with lack of awareness. No significant associations were found with municipal-level variables such as dental health ordinances, volunteer training programs, or population density. Conclusions: The study found substantial regional variation in oral frailty awareness. However, this variation was explained primarily by individual-level characteristics. Public health strategies should focus on enhancing awareness among socially vulnerable groups—especially men, individuals with low educational attainment, and those not engaged in civic activities—through targeted interventions and community-based initiatives. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Oral Health and Rehabilitation in the Elderly Population)
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10 pages, 215 KB  
Article
Association Between Oral Function and Oral-Related Quality of Life in Independent Community-Dwelling Elderly People in Taiwan
by Masayo Fukuda, Hiromi Izuno, Misao Sawada, Takako Ujihashi, Hinako Takano, Shoko Hori, Jumpei Okawa, Takahiro Ono and Kazuhiro Hori
Healthcare 2025, 13(11), 1332; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare13111332 - 3 Jun 2025
Viewed by 599
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Oral health is an important element of overall health and quality of life. However, few studies have evaluated the association between quality of life (QOL) and oral function, including tongue and lip movements. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between oral-related [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Oral health is an important element of overall health and quality of life. However, few studies have evaluated the association between quality of life (QOL) and oral function, including tongue and lip movements. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between oral-related QOL and oral function, including tongue and lip movements, in independent elderly people. Methods: The participants were 143 community-dwelling elderly people in Taiwan (40 men, 103 women; 76.4 ± 6.4 years). We used the General Oral Health Assessment Index (GOHAI) to evaluate oral-related QOL. The items used to evaluate oral function were as follows: the speed of tongue movement from side to side, maximum tongue pressure, maximum lip pressure, the repeated saliva swallowing test, oral diadochokinesis (speed and dexterity when pronouncing /pa/, /ta/, and /ka/), and masticatory performance. In addition, we surveyed the number of remaining teeth, denture use, and awareness of problems at mealtimes. For the analysis, we compared the GOHAI score for each group, divided by cutoff values. Results: The univariate analysis revealed significant differences in the GOHAI score according to denture use, the number of remaining teeth, the state of occlusal support areas, the speed of tongue movement from side to side, oral diadochokinesis /ta/ and /ka/, and masticatory performance. The logistic regression analysis revealed that oral diadochokinesis /ka/ was a significant explanatory variable for low GOHAI scores (odds ratio = 13.145). Conclusions: Our results imply that lower oral-related QOL was associated with slow motor function at the rear area of the tongue. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Oral Health and Rehabilitation in the Elderly Population)

Other

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14 pages, 525 KB  
Systematic Review
Patient Satisfaction with CAD/CAM 3D-Printed Complete Dentures: A Systematic Analysis of the Clinical Studies
by Hanan N. Alotaibi
Healthcare 2025, 13(4), 388; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare13040388 - 11 Feb 2025
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1602
Abstract
Objectives: This systematic review compares computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) 3D-printed complete dentures (CDs) with conventional ones in terms of patient satisfaction. Methods: The PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) reporting criteria for systematic reviews were followed [...] Read more.
Objectives: This systematic review compares computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) 3D-printed complete dentures (CDs) with conventional ones in terms of patient satisfaction. Methods: The PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) reporting criteria for systematic reviews were followed in conducting this systematic review. The study question was “What are the patient satisfaction outcomes of 3D-printed versus conventional CDs in edentulous patients?” according to the population, intervention, comparison, and outcome (PICO) framework. A comprehensive electronic search was conducted across three databases (PubMed/Medline, Web of Science core collection, and Scopus; last update: 18 August 2024) to obtain clinical trials that compared traditional and 3D-printed CDs. The retrieved articles were screened, their data were extracted, and their quality was evaluated. Results: The initial search retrieved 803 publications; 12 were chosen for a thorough review, and 5 of them—4 randomized cross-over studies and 1 randomized three-parallel arm study—met the requirements for this systematic review. One study showed significant differences in five of nine patient denture satisfaction domains, positively favoring the conventional CDs. Two studies showed non-significant differences in satisfaction domains between the conventional and 3D-printed groups, except for aesthetics and pronunciation. On the contrary, the satisfaction scores in two other studies showed no significant difference between the conventional and 3D-printed denture groups. Conclusions: The analysis of the included studies and evidence gathered demonstrates that CAD/CAM 3D-printed CDs seem to be comparable with conventional CDs in terms of overall patient satisfaction; however, 3D-printed CDs generate some concerns related to aesthetics and speech. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Oral Health and Rehabilitation in the Elderly Population)
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