2009 年 43 巻 2 号 p. 169-173
We studied longitudinal changes in the mandibular alveolar ridges of edentulous patients by comparing the relative position of the mental foramen over time in panoramic radiographs of patients visiting Osaka Dental University Hospital. We examined the panoramic radiographs of 73 patients (25 males and 48 females) with edentulous mandibles, who had full dentures fabricated two or more times from 1976 to 2003. The average age at initial examination was 66 years. During the investigation period, the mandiblar full dentures were fabricated twice for 68 subjects and 3 times for 5 subjects. The interval between fabrications ranged from 1 to 17 years with an average of 5.4 years.
Regression analysis showed that the mandible of the edentulous patients resorbed over time. We found that the length of time wearing the denture had a greater influence on resorption of the alveolar ridge than age, gender or side (left or right). Although wearing a full denture promoted resorption of the mandible, the resorption was less in patients who had been using the full denture for a long time.
