PURPOSEThe purpose of this clinical study was to evaluate the frequency and type of prosthetic complications in relation to type and properties of removable dentures and to investigate the influence of these complications and several data about the existing dentures on patient satisfaction.MATERIALS AND METHODSNinety nine patients (44 males and 55 females) wearing removable dentures have been included in the study. The complications of the patients were recorded; patient satisfaction was determined with a Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and the relationship of complications and patient satisfaction with several data about the dentures such as denture age, type of denture, centric relation and vertical dimension was investigated. Kruskal Wallis, Mann Whitney U and Chi square tests were used for statistical analyses. The results were evaluated statistically at a significance level of P<.05.RESULTSNeed for addition of artificial teeth for dentures with correct centric relations was found to be significantly lower than dentures with wrong centric relations (P<.01). Loss of retention, ulcerations and high vertical dimension affected the VAS chewing ability scores negatively and ulcerations affected the VAS phonation scores negatively (P<.05).CONCLUSIONConsidering the results of this study, it can be concluded that loss of retention, ulcerations and high vertical dimension caused patient dissatisfaction. Additionally, dentures with wrong centric relations caused need for addition of artificial teeth.

The aim of this clinical trial was to assess satisfaction, as well as the frequency and type of prosthetic complications in terms of several variables, in patients with complete dentures that had been supplied at private clinics. The study subjects were 64 patients with a mean age of 63.48 years wearing complete dentures provided at private clinics, and requesting new ones. The degree of patient satisfaction with their dentures was assessed, as well as complications and parameters related to the dentures such as the accuracy of vertical dimensions and centric relation, arrangement and possible malposition of the artificial teeth, and the border length of the denture bases. The most common complication was loss of retention (85.9%), followed by ulceration (44.2%). Mandibular dentures with long vestibular borders showed a significantly higher incidence of epulis fissuratum (P = 0.017), and denture-related sore spots influenced patients' speech ability (P = 0.023). Routine recalls seem to be important for wearers of complete dentures, as several insidious complications may develop and cause damage to the dentures as well as the patients' oral tissues. (J Oral Sci 55, 29-37, 2013)