Assessment of Oral Hygiene in Patients Using Fixed and Removable Dentures Treated at the University Dental Clinic in Krakow

Double-crown-retained removable dentures: Types and clinical application

A 55-year-old man wearing maxillary and mandibular clasp-retained removable partial dentures (RPDs) sought improvement in retention, support, mastication efficiency, and esthetics. Three prosthodontic treatment options were provided to the patient, who selected maxillary and mandibular conical crown-retained removable partial dentures (CCRPDs) without strategic implants. Oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) and satisfaction of the patient were evaluated before treatment and 2 weeks and 1 year after inserting the CCRPDs. The patient reported better retention, support, stability, mastication efficiency, esthetics, and an improved OHRQoL after CCRPD placement than before treatment. These improvements were maintained after 1 year.

Prosthesis choice in the adult USA population with partial edentulism

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of prostheses and investigate how demographic and socioeconomic characteristics influence choices of restoration types in the adult population of the United States over 20 years of age.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The study utilized data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES) conducted from 2017 to March 2020 Pre-Pandemic Data. We examined demographic and socioeconomic variables, dentition status, and restoration types among participants with partial edentulism. The percentage of categorical variables between restoration types was compared using chi-square tests. Multinomial logistic regression models were employed to explore the relationship between prosthetic choices and demographic and socioeconomic factors, both unadjusted and adjusted for all characteristics, including the number of missing teeth.

RESULTS

Out of 15,560 participants, 7,805 eligible individuals with a mean age of 47.8 and a male percentage of 48.4% were included in the analysis. The results indicated that individuals who were younger, male, of Mexican American or non-Hispanic Black ethnicity, possessed lower educational attainment, were never married, had a low income-to-poverty ratio, held private insurance, or were unemployed were more inclined to choose no restoration. Further, males, non-Hispanic Black individuals, those with lower educational attainment, lower income-to-poverty ratios, and those who were unemployed or retired were more likely to choose RPDs over FPDs. Furthermore, never-married individuals and those with private insurance were likelier to choose FPDs in the maxilla (p < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

Significant differences were observed among restoration types, demographic and socioeconomic variables, and dentition status in both the upper and lower jaws.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

This study underscores the significance of socioeconomic variables in the restoration of partial edentulism.

Characterization of the Oral Microbiome in Wearers of Fixed and Removable Implant or Non-Implant-Supported Prostheses in Healthy and Pathological Oral Conditions: A Narrative Review

Oral commensal microorganisms perform very important functions such as contributing to the health of the host. However, the oral microbiota also plays an important role in the pathogenesis and development of various oral and systemic diseases. The oral microbiome may be characterized by a higher prevalence of some microorganisms than others in subjects with removable or fixed prostheses, depending on oral health conditions, the prosthetic materials used, and any pathological conditions brought about by inadequate prosthetic manufacturing or poor oral hygiene. Both biotic and abiotic surfaces of removable and fixed prostheses can be easily colonized by bacteria, fungi, and viruses, which can become potential pathogens. The oral hygiene of denture wearers is often inadequate, and this can promote oral dysbiosis and the switch of microorganisms from commensal to pathogens. In light of what emerged from this review, fixed and removable dental prostheses on teeth and on implants are subject to bacterial colonization and can contribute to the formation of bacterial plaque. It is of fundamental importance to carry out the daily hygiene procedures of prosthetic products, to design the prosthesis to facilitate the patient's home oral hygiene practices, and to use products against plaque accumulation or capable of reducing oral dysbiosis to improve patients' home oral practices. Therefore, this review primarily aimed to analyze the oral microbiome composition in fixed and removable implant or non-implant-supported prostheses wearers in healthy and pathological oral conditions. Secondly, this review aims to point out related periodontal self-care recommendations for oral dysbiosis prevention and periodontal health maintenance in fixed and removable implant or non-implant-supported prostheses wearers.

The Problem of Halitosis in Prosthetic Dentistry, and New Approaches to Its Treatment: A Literature Review

The aim of this work is a review of recent scientific literature about intra-oral halitosis among patients using dentures. Halitosis is a condition in which an unpleasant smell comes out of the oral cavity, which is caused mainly by volatile sulfur and non-sulfured compounds. The etiology of halitosis may be intra- or extra-oral; in most patients, however, it is due to the activity of microorganisms in the oral cavity. The problem of the occurrence of intra-oral halitosis has accompanied patients for many years. In dental prosthetics, the problem of halitosis occurs in patients using removable or fixed dentures. In both cases, new niches for the development of microorganisms may be created, including those related to intra-oral halitosis. It should be noted that dentures—both fixed and removable—are a foreign body placed in the patient’s oral cavity which, in case of insufficient hygiene, may constitute a reservoir of microorganisms, causing this unpleasant condition. Conventional treatment of intraoral halitosis reduces microbial activity via chemical and/or mechanical action. Currently, the search for new strategies in the treatment of halitosis is in progress. One idea is to use photodynamic therapy, while another is to modify poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) with silver and graphene nanoparticles. Additionally, attempts have been made to combine those two methods. Another unconventional method of treating halitosis is the use of probiotics.