Subjective Evaluation of Denture Adhesives: A Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial

Area of Science:

• Dental science
• Prosthodontics
• Clinical trials

Background:

• Denture adhesives are widely reported to enhance denture retention and stability.
• However, robust evidence from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on their effects is limited.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the short-term effects of cream and powder denture adhesives on complete denture wearers.
• To assess impacts on patient satisfaction, oral health-related quality of life, and perceived chewing ability.

Main Methods:

• A 10-center randomized controlled trial with 200 edentulous patients.
• Three groups: cream adhesive, powder adhesive, and saline control (placebo).
• Intervention lasted 4 days; data collected at baseline and post-intervention using validated questionnaires and visual analog scales.

Main Results:

• No significant differences in general satisfaction or oral health-related quality of life between groups.
• Significant improvements in satisfaction with specific denture functions were observed with both cream and powder adhesives (p < 0.05).
• Perceived chewing ability, particularly for hard foods, showed significant improvement with adhesives (p < 0.05).

Conclusions:

• Denture adhesives can positively influence subjective evaluations of denture function and the ability to chew hard foods.
• The effects are not sufficient to resolve underlying dissatisfaction with dentures.
• Application of denture adhesives should be guided by appropriate diagnosis and may require specific clinical conditions.