Oral pathology and prostheses--are they related? Investigations in an elderly population.

A survey of 233 elderly subjects living in the district served by the Halton Health Authority (Cheshire, England) investigated the relationship between the age of dentures, their need for replacement and the presence of any oral pathological lesions. The retention, stability, occlusion and cleanliness of the dentures were all found to be worse in the older appliances; perceived need for denture replacement was found to increase from 40% in 5-year-old dentures to 84% in dentures over 31 years old. While 41% of the sample had an oral pathological lesion, no significant relationship was found between denture age and pathology or place of residence. People resident in the community with no assistance had the highest incidence of oral pathology and those living in long-stay hospitals the least. The absence of a relationship between denture age and oral pathology is considered to be a powerful indicator of the need for regular oral examination of the edentulous population.