Influence of working side contacts on masticatory function for mandibular distal extension removable partial dentures

Area of Science:

• Dentistry
• Biomaterials Science

Background:

• Masticatory function is crucial for oral health and nutrition.
• Distal extension removable partial dentures can present challenges to optimal chewing.
• Understanding the role of occlusal contacts is vital for denture design.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate how working side occlusal contacts influence masticatory function in patients with distal extension removable partial dentures.
• To compare the effects of different artificial tooth cusp angles on chewing performance.

Main Methods:

• Five participants with missing teeth (second premolar to second molar) opposing natural teeth were recruited.
• Three types of artificial teeth (A-form, B-form, C-form with varying cusp angles) were used to alter working side contacts.
• Masticatory performance was assessed using mixing and comminuting ability tests.

Main Results:

• A significant difference (P=0.001) was found in mixing ability across the three artificial tooth types.
• A-form teeth, which maintained working side contact, showed statistically lower mixing ability compared to B- and C-form teeth.
• No significant difference was observed in comminuting ability between the tested artificial teeth.

Conclusions:

• Working side contacts between artificial and natural teeth in removable partial dentures significantly affect food mixing ability.
• The presence or absence of working side contacts does not appear to influence the comminuting ability of food.
• Optimizing occlusal schemes in denture design may enhance specific aspects of masticatory function, like mixing.