Impact of unilateral removable partial dentures versus removable partial dentures with major connector on oral health-related quality of life of elder patients: a clinical study

Abstract

Objective This study aimed to establish the survival rate of unilateral removable partial dentures (u-RPD) comparative with bilateral RPD (bi-RPD) with major connector in elder patients, as well as to determine both their treatment satisfaction and oral health. Methods The study sample included 17 patients treated with u-RPD and 17 patients treated with bi-RPD with a major connector. The patients were followed over five years with recalls every 6 months. A 5- points Likert scale was used to determine the satisfaction of the patients. The Oral Health Impact Profile-14 (OHIP-14) questionnaire was used to evaluate their oral health after each type of administrated treatment. The local oral examined aspects included the maintenance of the abutment teeth periodontal health, the fractures of the removable dentures, the fractures of the connectors, the chipping of the aesthetic material. Kaplan–Meier survival analysis was conducted to evaluate the performance of the two treatments. Results The mean survival time in years was 4.882 ± 0.114, 95% CI (4.659; 5.106) and 4.882 ± 0.078, 95% CI (4.729; 5.036), for the u-RPD and the bi-RPD, respectively. The five-year survival rates for the two dentures were 94.1% for u-RPD vs. 88.2% for bi-RPD with a major connector, without a statistically significant difference between them (Log-rank test χ2(1) = 0.301, p = 0.584). The patients receiving u-RPD presented significantly higher satisfaction scores compared to the patients receiving bi-RPD, 4.88 ± 0.48 vs. 4.41 ± 0.62, Mann-Whitney U test, p = 0.026. Conclusion Patients receiving u-RPD presented higher levels of treatment satisfaction and better oral health than patients receiving bi-RPD. The survival rates of the treatments u-RPD and bi-RPD were similar.

Gingival Health Status of Abutment Teeth in Acrylic Removable Partial Denture

“…It was reported that periodontal parameters including gingival index, tooth mobility, and clinical attachment loss were significantly affected at day-60 compared with baseline. 19,20…”

Clinical Evaluation of Impact of Acrylic Partial Dentures on the periodontal conditions of abutments

“…Change in the biofilm, alter quantitative and qualitative changes in plaque cause harm to the abutments thus the reason for failure of RPDs is the loss of abutments. In contrast some researchers reported that no pathologies could result only by removable dentures alone as long as good hygiene protocols are being followed 10 . These adverse effects of removable partial denture can be prevented by careful instructions to the patients regarding importance of oral hygiene, periodic recalls, professional scaling and polishing procedures and optimum fabrication of removable partial denture design with less complicated design 11 .…”