Maxillary tuberosities size and shape in African Blacks total edentulous

The manufacturing of impression standardized trays adapted to Blacks total edentulous patients is necessary. This study in complement to previous ones quantified maillary tuberosity size and shape in a sample of Ivory Coast population a very melting pot example in Africa. Hundred maxillary complete edentulous casts issuing from impressions with Schreinemakers trays adjusted or not with thermoplastic materials. The two tuberosities for each cast were marked and measured. The mesiodistal, vestibulopalatal diameters and the vestibule heights measurements were computer-generated. Tubercles were not significantly different in the two sectors for the same cast. They were elliptical-shaped with the mesiodistal length superior to the vestibulopalatal width and they are higher than large. There was no statistical correlation between the data. These findings are independent from patients age and sex. Therefore it had been proposed three standardized impression trays prototypes adapted to African Blacks posterior palatal sector according to tuberosity size and shape. This specificity is relevant in prosthodontics since individualization of treatment leads to more effective treatment by working within the patient's arch from instead of making patients fit a single standard.