[The aftercare findings and recall behavior of older patients with removable dentures]

Data were collected from 285 patients (average: 63.8, range: 23 to 87) who received prosthodontic treatment at the Clinic for Removable Prosthodontics of the University of Bern during the years of 1981 through 1987. 62 edentulous patients received two osseointegrated implants in the lower jaw. For the partially edentulous patients, removable partial dentures (RPD-89 patients) or overdentures (OD-134 patients) were prescribed. These two groups received recall care for a period of 2 to 3 years after insertion of the dentures. Due to limited capacity of the university clinics, a great part of these patients were then referred to private practitioners. All patients from the student course, however, were carefully checked during the year after insertion of the denture. Implant patients received a regular recall throughout the observation time. The patients' behaviour was not up to the dentists' expectations: less than 50% of the RPD and OD patients followed the recall appointment regularly. In contrast, the implant patients participated 100% in the recall. The plaque and bleeding indexes were much higher in the partially edentulous than in the implant patients. RPD and OD patients with regular recalls scored significantly better, but never reached the same level of results as the implant patients. Nevertheless, the probing depths on implants were a bit higher compared to those of the natural teeth, but not significantly.