Prevalence of oral lesions caused by removable prosthetics

Resumo

The present study aimed to investigate the prevalence of injuries caused by removable prostheses in patients of clinical specialization in dentistry. Of 598 patients, 175 (29%) had some type of associated injury. The lesions found included erythematous candidiasis, inflammatory fibrous hyperplasia, inflammatory papillary hyperplasia, traumatic ulcer, angular cheilitis, irritative keratosis, and denture stomatitis. Inflammatory fibrous hyperplasia was the most prevalent lesion, found in 88 patients (50%), followed by erythematous candidiasis in 75 patients (43%). Of the total number of injured patients, 141 (81%) were women and 34 (19%) were men, and 101 patients (58%) were Caucasian and 37 (21%) were black. Most lesions were located in the upper alveolar ridge and the hard palate. The most widely used type of prosthesis was full upper prosthesis with 84 users (48%). The average usage time for all prostheses was 17 years (SD ± 13). Average patient age was 62 years (SD ± 14). The prevalence of injuries caused by removable prostheses is high, and prolonged use of the device and the presence of oral lesions are strongly associated. Moreover, women represent the largest number of users of the prostheses and therefore carry the majority of the injuries.