The multi-modal prosthetic treatment of mentally handicapped patients--necessity and challenge.

The dental treatment of 573 mentally handicapped patients, over a period of twelve years from 1984 to 1996, is reported. The patients suffered from different varieties of mental retardation and/or schizophrenia, classified according to the International Statistical Classification of Disease N'. 10 of the World Health Organization. 189 patients were equipped with different types of removable prostheses which were followed to determine the survival time and the predictability of the prosthetic treatments. The findings showed greater risk factors related to long term hospitalised Schizophrenic patients and those with edentulous atrophic mandibles. 90% of the full-arch overdentures in the maxilla were in situ after 5 years in comparison with only 30% in the mandible. 81% of overdentures, retained telescopically by 3 teeth survived, while only 30% of overdentures anchored over a single tooth were still in place. These findings showed acceptable success rates of comprehensive restoration procedures for handicapped patients.