Plaque accumulation following the wearing of different types of removable partial dentures

Summary A group of forty‐five patients took part in a study to assess the effects of wearing partial dentures upon the accumulation of plaque in the mouth in the absence of oral hygiene. The wearing of a partial denture resulted in a significant increase in plaque accumulation and this increase was the result of a significant increase in both buccal and lingual plaque. Furthermore in a group of ten patients a small, but significant, increase in plaque occurred in the opposing arch during the wearing of the dentures. The accumulation of plaque on the buccal aspect of the teeth appeared unrelated to the type of denture worn. However, significantly more plaque accumulated on the lingual aspect of all the teeth in those patients wearing lower plate dentures as opposed to lower bar dentures. In the 3 day study periods only a small increase in plaque occurred on the palatal aspect of the upper anterior teeth not covered by any part of the partial denture and no significant increase occurred on the lingual aspect of the lower anterior teeth not covered by the partial denture. A highly significant increase occurred on the lingual aspect of lower anterior teeth covered by the lingual plate of the partial denture. Overall the wearing of a denture day and night resulted in more plaque accumulation compared with day only wearing of dentures. However considering the denture types this significant increase was not apparent in the lower plate dentures. The results provide further evidence of the potentially adverse effect partial dentures may have upon the supporting structures of the teeth when oral hygiene procedures carried out by the patient are inadequate.