2008 Volume 7 Issue 2 Pages 89-96
Purpose: The purpose of the present study was to investigate whether or not abutment tooth support helps to stabilize the overdenture using the dynamics of atmospheric pressure (DAP) as an index of denture stability.
Methods: Experimental dentures for measuring DAP were prepared by indirectly relining duplicates of overdentures used by five subjects (1 male, 4 females). The experimental dentures were relieved at the part of the abutment teeth. These dentures were not supported by the abutment teeth (non tooth-supported overdenture). Those were adjusted and used for 1 week. DAP under non tooth-supported overdenture was measured three times at the center of the palatal plate under experimental conditions with and without food in the mouth. After the measurements, non tooth-supported overdentures were immediately placed in contact with the abutment teeth using an auto-polymerizing resin (tooth-supported overdentures). DAP under tooth-supported overdentures was measured in a similar manner to that under non tooth-supported overdenture. Measurements for the respective experimental dentures were compared.
Results: Under both experimental conditions with and without food in the mouth, the respective patterns of DAP using tooth-supported overdentures and non tooth-supported overdentures were similar. However, the amount of change of atmospheric pressure (AP) was significantly smaller under tooth-supported overdenture than under non tooth-supported overdenture.
Conclusion: It is considered that smaller changes of AP reflect better stability of dentures. Accordingly, the stability of tooth-supported overdenture was superior to that of non tooth-supported overdenture.
