problems - such as swallowing difficulties or tongue and mouth movements. Dentures and Edentulism Edentulism Edentulism is the result of a mostly preventable oral disease process that is a worldwide public health concern. The loss of the permanent dentition is a multi-factorial process resulting from the impact of dental caries, periodontal disease and social factors. People who have lost teeth are referred to as (either partially or completely) edentulous (edentate), however those who have not lost teeth are referred to as dentate. Functions of Teeth Support the lips and cheeks, providing for a fuller, more aesthetically pleasing appearance Maintain an individual's bite or occlusion Along with the tongue and lips, assist with proper pronunciation of words Preserve/maintain the height of the alveolar ridge Mastication of food Consequences Of Edentulism Resorption of alveolar ridge Reduced chewing efficiency & Limitation of food selection Speech impairment Change in appearance Psychosocial impact Reduced quality of life Why Replace A Missing Tooth/Teeth? Aesthetics Improved function Mastication Speech Prevention of food packing and mucosal trauma Space maintenance Alveolar bone maintenance Reestablishment of occlusion and prevention of malocclusion Reduce load on remaining teeth Dentures Dentures are prosthetic appliances fabricated to fill the gaps of missing teeth. Conventional style dentures are removable appliances and are designed to be either a complete denture or a partial denture anchoring to adjacent teeth. There are many denture designs, some which rely on chemical bonding or clasping onto teeth or attached via dental implants known as fixed prosthodontics. Denture Cleaning Remove denture whenever possible (especially overnight and keep in a dry and safe place) Remove/rinse denture and mouth after eating Use soft denture brush with non-abrasive dentifrice Clean over sink filled with water Soak denture in appropriate solution (e.g. Polident) daily Bleach or vinegar can be used to remove stains (heavily diluted with water in the ratio 10:1) Concentrated bleach solutions can cause Changes in colouration of acrylic Darkening and/or damage of base Common Denture Concerns Denture stomatitis (redness/inflammation due to denture not being removed especially at night) Poor oral hygiene practices “Sore spots” due to dentures ill-fitting and rubbing resulting in ulcers etc. Loss of retention (therefore resulting in a reline of denture or a remake may be required) Fractures due to dropping dentures (Acrylic resin can be repaired easily however metal based or chrome cobalt dentures will require soldering or remake as much harder to add teeth too. Practical suggestions