The Effect of Denture Adhesives on Denture Quality and Occlusal Force.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Complete dentures (CDs) have been associated with substantial problems regarding edentulous patient's function. Denture adhesives seem to be useful adjuncts to improving retention and stability. METHODS: A clinical study was undertaken to investigate the effect of a denture adhesive (DA) on function in complete denture wearers along with the quality of their CDs. Thirty complete denture wearers participated in the study. The first phase of the experimental procedure comprised 3 groups of measurements performed at 3 distinct time points the initial measurement (T1), a 2nd measurement after 15 days of DA daily application (T2), and a 3rd measurement following a 15-day washout period (T3). The second phase consisted of the follow-up measurements. The measurements included recording of relative occlusal force (ROF), distribution of occlusal contacts (DOC) and center of force (COF) using the T-Scan 9.1 device and functional assessment of dentures using the FAD index. RESULTS: The DA use induced a statistically significant increase in ROF (p-value=0.003) and decrease in COF (p-value⟨0.001) and DOC (p-value=0.001). The overall FAD score significantly improved (p-value⟨0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The use of the DA improved the occlusal force, the distribution of occlusal contacts as well as the qualitative characteristics of CDs.