Changing dietary patterns with changing dentition: how do people cope?

ABSTRACT

Food plays a significant and essential role in the survival of all people. There has been a suggestion that there is a strong association between changes in dental status such as loss of teeth and denture wearing and low intake of essential nutrients. This paper explores the relationship between diet and nutrition and a change from (A) an old complete denture to an implant-supported denture, from (B) the dentate status to an immediate complete denture, and from (C) an old complete denture to a functionally corrected new complete denture. A summary of the findings is that loss of teeth influences masticatory efficiency and function and that a replacement prosthesis may improve function but does not significantly change dietary intake.