Frequency of edentulism and identification marking of removable dentures in long-term care units.

There were two aims of this study. First, the frequency of edentulism and denture wearers among 464 residents in long-term units in Göteborg, Sweden, was evaluated. Second, the dentures were examined to determine whether they were marked correctly for identification. Of the subjects, 46% were edentulous in both jaws, and 13% in one jaw. Among complete denture wearers, 47% of the patients had at least one identification-marked denture. Removable partial dentures, worn by 26 subjects, were marked to a lesser extent (32%). Since there are many edentulous people among the elderly in most parts of the world we suggest that removable dentures are marked with the patient's name or identification number.