Incidence and Risk Factors for Non-Adaptation of Mandibular Dentures

Objectives: To identify the incidence and the risk factors for non-adaptation of the mandibular complete denture (MCD).
Methods: A non-randomized clinical trial with 108 edentulous rehabilitated with complete dentures on 3 and 6-month follow-up was performed. The criteria for confirmation of adaptation were: chewing, phonetics, and swallowing comfortably with the dentures. The risk factors were related to sociodemographic and patient-centered factors. A multivariate analysis was carried out. The Kaplan-Meier curve estimated the average time for adaptation to MCD.
Results: The incidence of non-adapted was 38.0% after 3 months. Non-adaptation was associated with the absence of MCD experience (p=0.042), ulcerations after 15 days of rehabilitation (p<0.001), and reduced posterior mandibular ridge (p=0.035). After 6 months, this incidence decreased to 14.1%. The ulcerative lesions after 15 days and 30 days of the delivery of dentures and the non-use of the denture (p<0.001) were the factors associated with. Survival analysis demonstrated that 78.53 ± 36.11 days are enough for most patients to adapt to dentures. The average time to adapt to MCD was associated with denture previous experience (p=0.032), use of old dentures made by a dentist (p=0.034), no record of ulcers after rehabilitation (p=0.023), non-resorbed posterior mandibular ridge (p=0.005), and regular use of new dentures (p=0.002).
Conclusions: In 3 months, the incidence of non-adapted was higher and reduced after 6 months. After 3 months, the absence of denture previous experience, register of traumatic ulcers, and reduced mandibular ridges interfered negatively in the adaptation. After 6 months, only the occurrence of ulcers and non-regular wear of dentures were factors for non-adaptation. On average, most individuals adapted to the mandibular denture in 2.6 months. This adaptation in less time was associated with denture previous experience, use of old dentures made by a dentist, no record of traumatic ulcers, non-resorbed ridge, and regular use of the denture.