Resistance of the maxillary ridge to occlusal trauma.

Histories and clinical evaluations were obtained from 230 postmenopausal women aged 48 to 56 years to determine whether the alveolar height in the edentulous anterior region of the maxillae is adversely affected by the presence of mandibular incisors. Many of these women lost their teeth in early adulthood. When all subjects were included, the height of the ridge in the anterior region of the maxillae was not significantly altered by presence of mandibular incisors. When the ridge height was compared among those who had been edentate in the maxillae for less than 30 years, the difference between dentate and edentate subjects was significant. This study indicates that the alveolar ridges in the anterior region of the maxillae where teeth were extracted early in life during the rapid phase of bone metabolism are less disposed to bite trauma caused by the presence of the mandibular incisors than are individuals who lost their teeth in middle or old age.