Some Unfavorable Intraoral Features in Edentulous Patients Reporting For Complete Denture Treatment at the Prosthodontics Department of a Teaching Dental Hospital

Abstract

Introduction & Objectives: To gain an insight into the prognosis of complete denture treatment, the dental practitioner must be familiar with the anatomical and physiological condition of edentulous mouth of each individual patient. This study reports frequencies of some common unfavorable intra-oral features in edentulous patients reporting for complete denture (CD) treatment at the Prosthodontics Department, Khyber College of Dentistry (KCD) Peshawar (Pakistan).

Methodology: This was a descriptive, cross sectional study conducted during the period from February 2011 to February 2013. Using pre-structured data collection sheet, information of some unfavorable intraoral features of edentulism was recorded from patients seeking consultation for complete denture therapy in both jaws for the first time. History, clinical and radiographic examinations were the method for assessing the unfavorable intraoral features including mandibular bone height, maxillary residual ridge morphology, pattern of muscle attachment and maxillo-mandibular relationship.

Results: Mean age was 61.8 I 9 years with male to female ratio of L.27. Patients easy-to-treat with conventional CDs were 43 (27%l as compared to 11,6 (73%l who were difficult-to-treat. The frequencies of unfavorable features including mandibular bone height, maxillary residual ridge morphology, pattern of muscle attachment and maxillo-mandibular relationship were 60 (37.7%), 40 (25%1,54 (34%l and 55 (34.6%) respectively. Females had significantly reduced mandibular bone height.

Conclusion: The high frequency of unfavorable intraoral features suggests screen'[g of edentulous patients for knowing their levels of treatment complexity with conventional complete dentures.