Designing Dentures
The Importance of Denture Design
A well-designed denture can restore chewing ability, improve speech, have aesthetic appeal and help maintain overall oral health.1
Creating functional and comfortable dentures requires careful custom planning and consideration of the following factors:1,2
- Clinical
- Anatomical
- Technical
Principles of Good Denture Design
Three overarching principles form the foundation of good denture design
- Retention: The denture should be resistant to the forces that can cause it to move away from supporting tissues.2,3
- Stability: The denture should be as stable as possible, resisting any lateral movement and avoiding constant reminders of its physical presence in the patient’s mouth.3,4
- Support: The denture should be resistant to the forces that may cause it to move.4
Restricted oral anatomy and denture retention/stability
Restrictions in patient oral anatomy can limit denture retention and stability.4,5Well-fitting denture performance can be limited by patients’ oral anatomy,6 and can be gradually affected by bone resorption over time.6,7
Impact of oral anatomy
Factors limiting retention:
- Surface area defined by individual oral anatomy
- Gradual physiological bone resorption over time6,7
Patient impact:
- Low denture retention and stability6,7
- Poor chewing ability6
- Poor denture satisfaction7
Poor Denture Hygiene Can Compromise Oral Health8
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Inappropriate cleaning that could cause denture damage
Keeping dentures clean
Up to 80% of patients use a regular toothpaste to clean dentures9
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Biofilm growth on dentures
Biofilm and calculus
Up to 63% of patients with full dentures have biofilm and calculus on their dentures.9*
*In an observational study9
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Poor oral health and patient wellbeing
Hygiene-related design principles
Poor oral health may affect patients’ overall well-being as well as their oral health. Poor denture hygiene may result in infection of remaining teeth and oral surfaces, plaque accumulation, or propose increased health risks, such as pneumonia.10,11
Consideration of hygienic principles during the denture design process may help avoid the risk of hygiene-related complications by:3,4
- Creating dentures that are easy for the patient to clean and care for
- Avoiding unnecessary coverage of gingival tissues
Inadequate Denture Cleaning May Lead to Denture Stomatitis12,13
Up to 88% of denture wearers do not clean their dentures effectively.14
Up to 67% of full denture wearers have denture stomatitis.12
Denture stomatitis
Denture stomatitis is commonly associated with a yeast infection that causes the area underneath the denture to become very red.
Left untreated, it causes soreness of the mouth and may lead to poorly fitted dentures in the future.12,13
Stomatitis* is caused by microbial biofilm on the denture-fitting surface (rather than the mucosal surface) and poorly fitted dentures.13
The prevalence of denture stomatitis is strongly linked with the amount of denture plaque.12
*Polident not indicated for treatment of denture stomatitis
Effective education can reduce the risk of inadequate dental hygiene practices
Medical conditions and hygiene proficiency affect denture performance
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Xerostomia can limit normal denture retention5,15
Xerostomia is a subjective feeling of dry mouth that may result from a decrease in the production of saliva (hyposalivation).15
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Up to 48% of denture wearers suffer from xerostomia10
Xerostomia
In a study, up to 48% of denture wearers suffer from xerostomia.16*
Causes5,15:
- Side effects of medications
- Radiation therapy
- Chemotherapy
- Systemic diseases
- Diseases of the salivary glands
*in a study conducted by Toshio et al
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Impact on retention
Impact of Xerostomia on Denture Retention
Saliva helps to hold dentures in place. Reduced saliva limits the surface tension whereby the dentures have less force to adhere to the ridge. Saliva, along with a well-fitting denture, creates proper adhesion between the ridge and denture (i.e. suction).5
Patient Implications of Xerostomia
Reduced retention of dentures caused by xerostomia predisposes patients to mucosal abrasions and ulcerations.4
Help Your Patients on Their Journey to Optimal Denture Care
Impact on Patient Quality of Life
Find out about the impact that dentures have on patients’ daily lives.
Oral Health Management
Explore an overview of diagnozing issues with denture performance.
