Evaluation of complete denture quality and masticatory efficiency in denture wearers

Area of Science:

• Dental prosthetics
• Gerodontology
• Biomaterials science

Background:

• Complete dentures are crucial for masticatory function in edentulous individuals.
• Assessing denture quality and its impact on chewing efficiency is vital for patient well-being.
• Long-term denture use may affect both denture integrity and functional performance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate how complete denture quality and duration of use influence masticatory efficiency.
• To examine the relationship between the technical quality of dentures and the length of time they are worn.
• To provide insights into the long-term performance of complete dentures.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving 93 edentulous patients with complete dentures.
• Masticatory efficiency assessed using a colorimetric method with artificial test food.
• Denture quality objectively evaluated; patients categorized by years of denture use (≤ 2 vs. ≥ 5 years).

Main Results:

• A significant association was observed between denture quality and years of denture use (P < .05).
• Masticatory efficiency was significantly lower in patients with ≥ 5 years of denture use compared to those with ≤ 2 years (P < .05).
• Denture quality did not significantly influence masticatory efficiency.

Conclusions:

• Both complete denture quality and masticatory efficiency tend to decrease over extended periods of use.
• Despite the decline in quality and efficiency over time, denture quality does not directly affect masticatory performance.
• Findings suggest that factors beyond technical quality, such as adaptation and material degradation, may play a role in long-term denture function.