Yuris Idris Bayramov

Department of Orthopedic Dentistry, Azerbaijan Medical University, Baku, Azerbaijan

Abstract Title:

Optimization of Patient Adaptation to Complete Dentures

Research Interests:

Abstract Introduction: One of the essential conditions for a successful outcome in the orthopedic treatment of completely edentulous patients is rapid adaptation to complete dentures and high functionality of the prosthesis. The traditional functional impression method can lead to poor adaptation of the denture base to the denture-bearing area, traumatic changes in the mucous membrane, and the need for numerous corrections. Objective: To evaluate the impact of an improved version of the traditional complete denture fabrication method on patient adaptation and prosthesis functionality. Methods: The study was conducted on completely edentulous patients. In the improved method, a separate individual functional impression tray was not used; instead, the functional impression was obtained during the third clinical stage using the wax construction of the denture, based on physiological functional movements performed by the patient during chewing, swallowing, and speech. The functionality of the prosthesis was assessed on the 7th and 33rd days of adaptation according to M.D. Korol’s clinical criterion—specifically, based on the number of corrections required to eliminate traumatic changes caused by the denture base. Results: The improved method ensured more precise adaptation of the denture base to the denture-bearing area, reducing traumatic changes and the need for corrections. As a result of applying this method, the fixation and stabilization of the prosthesis were improved, the adaptation period for patients was shortened, and no additional corrections were required by the end of the 33rd day of adaptation. Conclusion: The improvement of the traditional complete denture fabrication method enhances prosthesis functionality, optimizes clinical stages, prevents traumatic changes, and accelerates the patient adaptation process, thereby increasing the clinical effectiveness of orthopedic treatment. Keywords: complete denture, patient adaptation, functional impression, prosthesis functionality, orthopedic treatment. Introduction In cases of complete adentia, the primary goal of orthopedic treatment with complete dentures is to restore the lost functions of the stomatognathic system and ensure the patient's rapid adaptation to the new prosthesis. The adaptation period directly depends on the functionality of the manufactured prosthesis—namely, its fixation and stabilization, the accuracy of the denture base, and its impact on tissues during functional movements. In complete dentures made using the traditional method, the characteristics of obtaining the functional impression can lead to imprecise formation of the denture borders, traumatic damage to the denture-bearing area, and numerous corrections, which slows down the patient’s adaptation process. Objective A comparative evaluation of the impact of the author's improved version of the traditional complete denture fabrication method on patient adaptation and prosthesis functionality. Materials and Methods The study was conducted on patients with complete adentia. The functionality of complete dentures fabricated using the traditional method and the author's improved version was evaluated comparatively. In the traditional method, the functional impression was obtained in the second clinical stage using an individual functional impression tray, with pressure applied by the dentist. In the improved version of the traditional method, a separate individual functional impression tray was not used; the wax construction of the denture itself was utilized as a functional impression tool in the third clinical stage. The functional impression was obtained under pressure resulting from the physiological functional movements performed by the patient during Herbst tests, corresponding to chewing, swallowing, and speech functions. This approach reduced the traditional method's 5 clinical and 4 technical stages to 4 clinical and 3 technical stages, simplifying the fabrication process. Prosthesis functionality was evaluated on the 7th and 33rd days of adaptation based on M.D. Korol’s clinical criterion (the number of corrections for traumatic lesions of the denture base). Results As a result of the improvement, the principle of obtaining the functional impression was optimized. Obtaining the functional impression under the pressure of the patient's own physiological movements rather than the dentist's manual pressure ensured a more precise adaptation of the denture base to the denture-bearing area. Consequently, the traumatic impact of the prosthesis during functional movements was minimized, and the need for denture base correction was eliminated. Compared to the traditional method, the functionality of the prosthesis in the improved version was rated higher from the 7th day of adaptation, and by the end of the 33rd day, the upper and lower dentures were rated as "excellent" according to M.D. Korol’s clinical criterion, requiring no further corrections. In contrast, dentures fabricated via the traditional method continued to require corrections due to the traumatic impact of the denture base. The improved version facilitated more efficient performance of chewing, speech, and swallowing functions by improving the fixation and stabilization of the prosthesis, enabling patients to adapt to complete dentures in a shorter time. Conclusion The author's improvement of the traditional complete denture fabrication method has optimized the principle of obtaining the functional impression. Utilizing the wax construction of the prosthesis as a functional impression tool in the third clinical stage has increased prosthesis functionality and prevented traumatic changes and the need for corrections in the denture-bearing area. The functional impression obtained based on the patient's own physiological functional movements ensured more precise formation of the denture borders and improved fixation and stabilization, ultimately accelerating the adaptation process and increasing the clinical effectiveness of the orthopedic treatment.