Presentation (CTI)

OBJECTIVES: Dental care in Greece is predominantly delivered through the private sector, with limited public coverage, resulting in significant out-of-pocket expenditure and high levels of unmet need. Despite the importance of prosthodontic rehabilitation for oral health and quality of life, comprehensive cost data remain scarce. This study aimed to provide a detailed cost analysis of prosthodontic treatment options for partial and complete edentulism from the patient perspective.
METHODS: A retrospective micro-costing analysis was conducted using data from 76 patients treated in a private dental clinic in Greece between 2021 and 2022. Costs were disaggregated into pre-prosthetic, material, laboratory, surgical, and prosthetic components. Treatment modalities included fixed restorations (implants, conventional bridges, Maryland bridges, and combined approaches) and removable prostheses (complete dentures, partial dentures, thermoplastic prostheses, and implant-supported overdentures). A Generalised Linear Model (Gamma distribution with log link) was applied to assess cost differences across treatment types.
RESULTS: Substantial variability in costs was observed across treatment modalities. Implants demonstrated the highest mean cost per restored tooth (€1,329.57), followed by combined fixed restorations (€898.41) and conventional bridges (€430.49). Removable solutions were considerably less expensive, with complete dentures (€77.92) and thermoplastic prostheses (€79.38) representing the lowest-cost options. Treatment duration ranged from less than one month for Maryland bridges to over six months for implant-based procedures. Statistical analysis confirmed significant cost differences between most treatment categories (p < 0.01).
CONCLUSIONS: Prosthodontic rehabilitation in Greece exhibits a pronounced cost gradient driven by clinical complexity, resource use, and procedural requirements. Implant-based therapies, while offering functional and aesthetic advantages, impose a substantial financial burden on patients. These findings provide essential evidence to inform clinical decision-making, patient counselling, and health policy initiatives aimed at improving access, affordability, and equity in dental care.