Prosthodontics & Occlusion · patient case question
Which single instruction most reduces this patient's risk of denture-related mucosal disease?
Patient case: Palatal changes beneath a maxillary denture in a tobacco user
Patient: Male, 63 years old
Chief Complaint: Routine review of a maxillary complete denture worn for eight years.
Background: Long-standing pipe and cigarette smoker. Wears the denture day and night.
Current Findings: The hard palate is erythematous with a keratotic, leukoplakic background. Numerous small elevated red papules with punctate central openings — inflamed minor salivary gland duct orifices — are visible across the palatal mucosa.
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: A. Remove the denture overnight and store it dry or in a cleansing solution
- A. CORRECT. Continuous day-and-night wear is the single strongest risk factor for denture stomatitis. Removing the prosthesis overnight allows the mucosa to be bathed in saliva and mechanically cleansed by the tongue, and it interrupts the biofilm cycle on the fitting surface.
- B. Hot water distorts the acrylic base, ruining the fit.
- C. Conventional toothpaste is too abrasive for acrylic. It scratches the fitting surface, creating retentive irregularities that harbour Candida. A soft brush with soap or a proprietary denture cleanser is correct.
- D. Adhesive compensates for a poorly fitting denture rather than correcting it, and it adds another substrate at the tissue interface.
Practice Prosthodontics & Occlusion questions Prosthodontics & Occlusion study notes