ObjectiveTo explore the association between wearing dentures and the risk of head and neck cancer using meta-analysis.
MethodsPubMed, EMbase, CNKI, and WanFang Data were searched up to April 30th, 2014, for cohort studies and case-control studies about the association between wearing dentures and the risk of head and neck cancer. Literature screening according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, data extraction and methodological quality assessment of included studies were completed by two reviewers independently. Then meta-analysis was conducted using Comprehensive Meta-Analysis v 2.2 software.
ResultsEight case-control studies in 7 reports were finally included. The results of meta-analysis revealed that, low-degree association existed between wearing dentures and the risk of head and neck cancer (OR=1.08, 95%CI 1.00 to 1.16); and the results of further subgroup analysis (according to gender, cancer lesions, confounders adjustment, and publication years) also showed no significant difference.
ConclusionWearing dentures is not significantly associated with the risk of head and neck cancer (no difference regarding gender or cancer lesions). Due to limitations of this meta-analysis, high-quality studies with large sample size are needed to further verify the above conclusion.
