ABSTRACT
The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of denture adhesive on retention of mandibular and maxillary dentures over a four-hour period. Denture movements were measured using an alternating magnetic field tracking device that determines the position of magnetic receiver coils relative to a transmitter coil positioned over the head. Ten adults with complete maxillary dentures and complete mandibular implant overdentures were enrolled in the study. Specially fabricated mandibular dentures contained a relief area that exposed the implant post which no longer anchored the denture, but now served as an attachment point for a receiver coil that measured mandibular movement. The denture coil was attached lateral to the post coil on a shelf cut into the denture. Mandibular denture movements were recorded as the difference between the mandible movement signal and the mandible + mandibular denture signals. Measurements of denture movements were made at baseline (no adhesive) and at 0, 2, 4 hours post-adhesive application with Fixodent cream for standardized chewing and biting. The MoveTrack signals were recorded on a digital data cassette recorder for subsequent computer analysis. The results of the measurements were analyzed using paired sample t-tests. Specifically, the following comparisons of movement means were made: mandibular vs. maxillary, baseline vs. post-baseline and successive changes (e.g., baseline vs. hour 0, hour 0 vs. hour 2, etc.). Results of these analyses showed that: 1) mandibular denture movements under both adhesive and non-adhesive conditions were significantly greater than maxillary denture movements; 2) the adhesive significantly reduced movement of the maxillary and mandibular dentures during both chewing and biting; and 3) the improvement occurred immediately post-application of the adhesive and was maintained for the four hours of follow-up.
