References

Fuller E, Steele J, Watt R, Nuttall N. Oral Health and Function – a Report from the Adult Dental Health Survey 2009.London: Health and Social Care Information Centre; 2011
Clark R, Radford D, Juszczyk A. Current trends in complete denture teaching in British dental schools. Br Dent J. 2010; 208
Preparing for Practice. Dental Team Learning Outcomes for Registration.: GDC; 2012
Smith JP, Hughes D. A survey of referred patients experiencing problems with complete dentures. J Prosthet Dent. 1988; 60:583-586
Carlsson GE. Facts and fallacies: an evidence base for complete dentures. Dent Update. 2006; 33:134-142
Koper A. Difficult denture birds. J Prosthet Dent. 1967; 17:532-539
Davis DM, Fiske J, Scott B, Radford DR. The emotional effects of tooth loss in a group of partially dentate people: a quantitative study. Eur J Prosthodont Restor Dent. 2001; 9:53-57
Atwood DA. Reduction of residual ridges. A major oral disease entity. J Prosthet Dent. 1971; 26:266-279
Jacobson TE, Krol AJ. A contemporary review of the factors involved in complete denture retention, stability, and support. Part I: Retention. J Prosthet Dent. 1983; 49:5-15
Darvell BW, Clark RKF. The physical mechanisms of complete denture retention. Br Dent J. 2000; 189:248-252
Turner JW, Moazzez R, Banerjee A. First impressions count. Dent Update. 2012; 39:455-471
Neill DJ, Glaysher JKL. Identifying the denture space. J Oral Rehabil. 1982; 9:259-277
Gahan MJ, Walmsley AD. The neutral zone impression revisited. Br Dent J. 2005; 198:269-272
Lynch CD, Finbarr Allen P. Overcoming the unstable mandibular complete denture: the neutral zone impression technique. Dent Update. 2006; 33:21-26
Tyson KW, McCord JF. Chairside options for the treatment of complete denture problems associated with the atrophic (flat) mandibular ridge. Br Dent J. 2000; 188:10-14
Cawood JI, Howell RA. Reconstructive preprosthetic surgery: I. Anatomical considerations. Int J Oral Maxillofac Surg. 1991; 20:75-82
Narhi TO, Ettinger RL, Lam EWM. Radiographic findings, ridge resorption, and subjective complaints of complete denture patients. Int J Prosthodont. 1997; 10:183-189
Jonkman RE, Van Waas MA, Kalk W. Satisfaction with complete immediate dentures and complete immediate overdentures. A 1 year survey. J Oral Rehabil. 1995; 22:791-796
Schole ML. Management of the gagging patient. J Prosthet Dent. 1959; 9:578-583
Wright S. An examination of factors associated with retching in dental patients. J Dent. 1979; 7:194-207
Thomason JM. The McGill consensus statement on overdentures. Mandibular 2-implant overdentures as first choice standard of care for edentulous patients. Eur J Prosthodont Restor Dent. 2002; 10:95-96
Thomason JM, Feine J, Exley C, Moynihan P, Muller F, Naert I, Ellis JS, Barclay C, Butterworth C, Scott B, Lynch C, Stewardson D, Smith P, Welfare R, Hyde P, McAndrew R, Fenlon M, Barclay S, Barker D. Mandibular two implant-supported overdentures as the first choice standard of care for edentulous patients – the York consensus statement. B Dent J. 2009; 207:185-186
Thomason JM, Kelly SA, Bendkowski A, Ellis JS. Two implant retained overdentures – a review of the literature supporting the McGill and York consensus statements. J Dent. 2012; 40:22-34
Fitzpatrick B. Standard of care for the edentulous mandible: a systematic review. J Prosthet Dent. 2006; 95:71-78
Hallam JB. Dentures for a severe Class III jaw relationship. J Dent. 1976; 4:291-292

Complete denture series part 1: referrals for complete dentures – identifying the reasons

From Volume 46, Issue 5, May 2019 | Pages 466-472

Authors

Wouter Leyssen

BDS, MJDF, MSc

Specialty Dentist in Restorative Dentistry, Birmingham Community NHS Healthcare Foundation Trust

Articles by Wouter Leyssen

Sivakumar Jayachandran

MDS, BDS, AFHEA

Specialty Dentist and PhD Student, Prosthetic Dentistry, School of Dentistry, University of Birmingham, 5 Mill Pool Way, Edgbaston, Birmingham B5 7EG, UK

Articles by Sivakumar Jayachandran

A Damien Walmsley

PhD, MSc, BDS, FDS RCPS,

Professor of Restorative Dentistry, School of Dentistry, The University of Birmingham, St Chad's Queensway, Birmingham, B4 6NN, UK

Articles by A Damien Walmsley

Email A Damien Walmsley

Abstract

General dental practitioners (GDPs) continue to refer edentulous patients to secondary care for advice and treatment. The clinical records of edentulous patients referred to Birmingham Dental Hospital were reviewed to determine the common problems encountered by GDPs when constructing complete dentures. The main reasons for referral were resorption of the lower ridge (39%) followed by a series of ill-defined reasons (28%), looseness of either or both dentures (25%), pain (11%), immediate dentures (8%), exaggerated gag reflex (7%) and implants (7%). The reasons for referral do not always correspond to the clinical findings on the New Patient Assessment Clinics.

CPD/Clinical Relevance: The findings of the article could be used as a guide for GDPs in identifying problems with problematic dentures.

Article

Complete denture construction is often seen as a technically demanding clinical technique. This is partly due to a decreasing edentulous population with many of the patients remaining becoming more difficult to treat. From the figures of the Adult Dental Health Survey in 2011, it is estimated that 6% of the adult population in the UK was edentulous.1 Age wise, 45% of people over 85 years and 29% of people between 75 and 84 years of age were found to be edentulous.1 These patients generally have been edentulous for a considerable time and are more likely to suffer from co-morbidities (including xerostomia, dementia, etc). It is assumed that, because of these difficulties, such patients tend to be referred to secondary care for prosthetic treatment.

Not only is there a decreasing skill base of clinicians able to supply complete dentures, but dental schools are finding it more difficult to recruit suitable patients for student clinics. The teaching of complete dentures has decreased over the years2 and may explain why some GDPs are not confident in providing successful complete dentures, although the General Dental Council states that the graduating dentist has to be able to ‘Assess the need for, design, prescribe and provide biomechanically sound partial and complete dentures’.3

Register now to continue reading

Thank you for visiting Dental Update and reading some of our resources. To read more, please register today. You’ll enjoy the following great benefits:

What's included

  • Up to 2 free articles per month
  • New content available