GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare has released new data on the future of edentulism, highlighting the key roles dental professionals must play in providing quality oral healthcare and emotional support to denture patients.
The research, performed by doctors from the University of North Carolina School of Dentistry, the Mayo Clinic, Glasgow Dental Hospital and School, and the University of California, Los Angeles School of Dentistry, cites data showing that increasing life expectancies and the size of the aging population will result in a sustained demand for dentures over the coming years.
While dental implants are becoming more popular, the researchers caution that not every patient is a good candidate and many cannot afford the procedure, meaning that dentures will remain an important treatment for edentulism.
Additional highlights from the work show that denture wearers are at risk for multiple oral and systemic disorders, reinforcing the need for careful treatment and regular recall visits.
Furthermore, one paper outlines the serious emotional impact that receiving dentures can have on a patient's life and concludes that determining patient expectations prior to treatment is critical.
The research, funded through an educational grant from GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare, was originally presented at the Federation Dentaire International World Dental Congress and was published in the Journal of Prosthodontics (February 2009, Vol. 18:2, pp. 85-203).
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