A clinical follow-up study of the periodontal conditions of RPD abutment and non-abutment teeth

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the periodontal conditions of removable partial denture (RPD) wearers, comparing direct and indirect abutment teeth, and the teeth not involved in the denture design before denture placement and 1 year later. Fifty patients (32 women and 18 men), average age 45, were assessed by the same examiner at the moment of denture insertion and 3, 6, 9 and 12 months later. The following items were verified in each assessment: probing depth (PD), plaque index (PI) and gingival index (GI). PD and PI data were evaluated by anova test for linear trend followed by Tukey-Kramer post-test, while GI data were analysed by Friedman's test. Results showed that the teeth not involved in the denture design were the least affected for all variables studied. It was also verified that PD and GI mean values increased from the initial assessment to 1 year of RPD wearing in every group, but that only PI showed a significant increase. This study indicated that direct and indirect retainer elements tend to undergo more damaging periodontal effects associated with RPD wearing when compared with non-abutment elements. Plaque index values were significantly higher after 1 year of denture use.

An observational cohort study on shortened dental arches—clinical course during a period of 27–35 years

“…Furthermore, Aras et al showed that RDPs in shortened dental arches did not improve masticatory performance [2] and McKenna et al showed [20] that both prosthetic rehabilitation to a functional dentition as well as full rehabilitation including RDP did not improve the nutritional status as reflected in hematological markers. Several studies, including the present study, showed that RDPs often even have an adverse effect [10, 21–23]. In a randomised clinical trial on caries incidence following restoration of shortened lower dental arches in an elderly sample of patients, it was found that 2 years after restoration, there was a significantly greater incidence of new and recurrent caries lesions in subjects restored with RDPs compared with cantilever resin-bonded bridges [22].…”

The Impact of the Crown-Root Ratio on Survival of Abutment Teeth for Dentures

“…In several studies, wearing RPDs has been shown to be as an important correlate with root caries (Wright et al 1992;Locker 1996;Steele et al 1997;Steele et al 2001;Tan and Lo 2014). Because abutment teeth especially tend to have more plaque accumulation than other teeth, those are also at higher risk of periodontitis as well as root caries (Jepson et al 2001;do Amaral et al 2010;Hirotomi et al 2010;Milward et al 2013). As for mechanical considerations, modifying abutment teeth that have unfavorable CRR to overdenture abutments may reduce these harmful forces and increase the survival rate of such teeth when used as abutments for prosthesis (Lord and Teel 1974;Renner et al 1984;Budtz-Jörgensen 1995).…”

Longitudinal Improvement in Periodontal Parameters between RPD Abutment Teeth with Direct and Indirect Retainers, after Periodontal Therapy

“…and types of groups examined . Amaral et al showed that PD and BOP increased from baseline at 1 year after RPD installation for both abutment teeth with direct and indirect retainers; however, only VPI increased significantly for both. The remaining teeth that were not involved in the prosthesis design were the least affected.…”

“…Other studies have conducted longitudinal follow‐ups, and have considered differences between abutment teeth before and after prosthesis installation . In general, these studies have shown significantly worse clinical parameters (plaque index, bleeding, and clinical attachment level) for abutments with direct retainers in patients without periodontal maintenance; however, it cannot be concluded that the worst clinical parameters are observed for those abutment teeth with direct retainers in close contact with prostheses or in those sites that have not undergone periodontal treatment.…”