Changes in mandibular alveolar bone and anterior face height after four years of complete denture wearing.

A 4-year cephalometric study was conducted on 14 wearers of complete dentures to quantify the anterior alveolar bone loss and to study any associated changes in the maxillomandibular relationships. Both the occlusal and the rest-face heights underwent a significant decrease while a parallel tendency for anterior rotation was recorded. The continuous bone loss in the anterior mandible had a significant relationship to the reduction of the anterior face height.