Objective This pilot study aimed to evaluate red-complex bacteria (RCB) loads in edentulous patients, before and after dentures’ insertion. Materials and methods Thirty patients were included in the study. Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) isolated from bacterial samples were obtained from the dorsum of the tongue before and 3 months after complete dentures (CDs) insertion in order to identify the presence of RCB (Tannerella forsythia, Porphyromonas gingivalis, and Treponema denticola) and quantify their loads, using real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Bacterial loads were represented as “Lg (genome equivalents/sample)” and the data classified according to the “ParodontoScreen” test. Results Significant changes in bacterial loads were observed before and 3 months after the CDs insertion for: P. gingivalis (0.40 ± 0.90 vs 1.29 ± 1.64, p = 0.0007), T. forsythia (0.36 ±0.94 vs 0.87 ± 1.45, p = 0.005), and T. denticola (0.11 ± 0.41 vs 0.33 ± 0.75, p = 0.03). Before the CDs insertion, all patients had a normal bacterial prevalence range (100%) for all analyzed bacteria. Three months after the insertion, 2 (6.7%) of them had a moderate bacterial prevalence range for P. gingivalis, while 28 (93.3%) had a normal bacterial prevalence range. Conclusion The use of CDs has a significant impact on increasing RCB loads in edentulous patients.

Background: The purpose of the present study was to detect Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans (Aa) using RT-PCR in patients with complete and partial edentulism before (T0) and three months after (T3) treatment with removable partial dentures (RPD) and complete dentures (CD), respectively, to compare the data between these two research groups. Methods and Results: The sample comprised 60 patients: 33 men and 27 women, aged 48 to 76 years. The patients were divided into two groups. Group 1 included 30 patients with partial edentulism who were treated with RPD. Group 2 included 30 patients with complete edentulism who were treated with CD. The samples from Group 1 were taken from the gingival sulcus of the abutment teeth by means of sterile paper points. For Group 2, the samples were taken with a sterile swab from the dorsum of the tongue. The samples were taken in T0 and T3 intervals. To detect Aa DNA, we used RT-PCR and ParodontoScreen REAL-TIME PCR Detection Kit (DNA-TECHNOLOGY). Bacterial load levels of species were conventionally represented in logarithm (Lg) of genome equivalents per sample. The results were also presented in three ranges depending on the level of bacterial load: normal (< 4.0Lg), light/moderate (≥4.0 Lg), and severe (>5.0 Lg). The study found a significant difference in the amount of Aa between the T0 and T3 intervals only in patients treated with RPD (0.871.58 Lg vs. 1.28 1.96 Lg, P=0.004). Patients treated with CD, however, did not differ significantly in the amount of Aa between the T0 and T3 intervals (0.030.16 Lg vs. 0). The average bacterial load in patients with RPD was significantly higher than in those with CD three months after treatment (P=0.02) (Table 2). The range of bacterial load levels in the groups is presented in Table 3. Of the 30 patients with RPD, 2(6.7%) had a severe range, 2(6.7%) had a mild/moderate range, and 26(86.7%) had a normal range. The 30 CD patients all had a normal range. There was no significant difference in the prevalence range of bacterial load level with Aa between groups (Fisher's Exact Test = 3.537, P=0.113) / Monte Carlo Sig. (2-sided) / 0.105–0.121). However, in general, RPD causes a significant increase in Aa, so the level of periodontal pathogens may be higher in RPD patients than in CD patients.

Objective To evaluate red-complex bacteria (RCB) loads in edentulous patients, before and after dentures’ insertion. Materials and Methods Thirty patients were included in the study. Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) isolated from bacterial samples were obtained from the dorsum of the tongue before and 3 months after complete dentures (CDs) insertion in order to identify the presence of RCB (Tannerella forsythia, Porphyromonas gingivalis, and Treponema denticola) and quantify their loads, using real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Bacterial loads were represented as “Lg (genome equivalents/sample)” and the data classified according to the “ParodontoScreen” test. Results Significant changes in bacterial loads were observed before and 3 months after the CDs insertion for Porphyromonas gingivalis (0.40 ±0.90 vs 1.29 ±1.64, p = 0.0007), Tannerella forsythia (0.36 ±0.94 vs 0.87 ±1.45, p = 0.005), and Treponema denticola (0.11 ±0.41 vs 0.33 ±0.75, p = 0.03). Before the CDs insertion, all patients had a normal bacterial prevalence range (100%) for all analyzed bacteria. Three months after the insertion, 2 (6.7%) of them had a moderate bacterial prevalence range for Porphyromonas gingivalis, while 28 (93.3%) had a normal bacterial prevalence range. Conclusion The use of CDs has a significant impact on increasing RCB loads in edentulous patients.