Effect of denture adhesive on the retention and stability of maxillary dentures.

This study used quantitative methods to measure the effects of a denture adhesive on the retention and stability of the maxillary denture. Denture movements were measured on 20 patients during standardized chewing, swallowing, and speaking activities, first with no adhesive, and then at 0, 2, 4, 6, and 8 hours after application of an over-the-counter cream adhesive. The major findings were that the denture adhesive produced a statistically significant improvement in the retention and stability of the maxillary denture during the various chewing, swallowing, and speaking activities, for up to 8 hours; there were no statistically significant differences in improvement between a poorly fitting and well-fitting denture; and patients were able to produce significantly greater levels of incisal bite force with the use of the adhesive.