Plaque recordings as a guide to the prognosis for partial denture treatment.

Separate mean plaques scores of the proximal surfaces of abutment teeth, which faced denture saddles, were obtained from thirty-three subjects with removable partial dentures, following a period of ordinary tooth-brushing and at the end of a period following instruction in specialized tooth-brushing. With ordinary tooth-brushing, the subjects were distributed in the upper range of plaque scores which was considered dangerous to periodontal health. With specialized tooth-brushing the subjects showed lower mean plaque scores, but over a wider distribution. Thus patients are variously at risk when treated with partial dentures.