Patient response to variations in complete denture technique. Part IV: Residual ridge resorption--cast evaluation.

At 10-year recall, alveolar ridge topography was compared by three different methods in 36 patients whose complete dentures were fabricated by two different techniques. In general, if alveolar ridge change was observed, it was evidenced by a reduction in size following denture wearing. Group II patients appeared to have slightly less ridge change in the subjective and ridge width evaluations, but group I patients showed slightly less ridge change in the contourator tracing measurements. Since alveolar ridge topography is influenced by many variables, it would be a mistake to claim that either denture technique was proven superior by this research effort. Overall, the alveolar ridge changes were so small that they were statistically insignificant for this sample size. Some possible factors that might explain the minimal alveolar ridge changes seen in this study are (1) conscientious application of sound basic prosthodontic principles by the dentists who constructed the dentures initially, (2) periodic recall appointments for all of the patients, and (3) the fact that all of the patients were relatively young, experienced denture wearers who had been edentulous for at least 1 year before these tested dentures were placed.