Associations of alveolar ridge morphology with denture base extension and patient-reported outcomes in complete denture wearers: a quantitative observational study.

BACKGROUND

This observational study digitally evaluated alveolar ridge morphology and analyzed jaw-specific associations among ridge dimensions, denture base surface area, and oral health-related quality of life in complete denture wearers.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

A total of 63 completely edentulous arches (30 maxillary, 33 mandibular) were included. Ridge height and width were measured at the locations corresponding to incisor, canine, premolar, and molar regions using digitally scanned casts. Denture base surface area was calculated from the final denture designs. Patient satisfaction was assessed using the Oral Health Impact Profile for Edentulous Patients (OHIP-EDENT) questionnaire. Spearman correlation analyses and linear mixed-effects models were used to evaluate associations between ridge dimensions and outcomes. Mixed-effects models included jaw, ridge parameter, jaw-by-ridge interaction, and arch length as fixed effects, with participant as a random intercept.

RESULTS

Compared with the mandible, the maxilla had greater ridge dimensions, a larger denture base surface area, and lower OHIP-EDENT scores (P< .05). In the maxilla, only incisor, canine, and premolar heights were correlated with the base area and OHIP-EDENT scores. In the maxilla, premolar height showed the strongest association among the measured ridge parameters. It was positively associated with denture base surface area (80.99, 95% CI [34.90, 127.07], P<.001), and negatively associated with OHIP-EDENT scores (-2.61, 95% CI [-4.53, -0.68], P=.013). In contrast, in the mandible, all measured ridge dimensions showed significant correlations with both outcomes. Mixed-effects models further indicated that molar height showed the strongest association, with a positive association with base area (167.89, 95% CI [93.54, 242.24], P<.001), and a negative association with OHIP-EDENT scores (-5.90, 95% CI [-8.38, -3.43], P<.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Alveolar ridge morphology was associated with denture base surface area and patient-reported outcomes in conventional complete denture wearers. These associations were generally more consistent in the mandible than in the maxilla, with molar ridge height showing the most robust jaw-specific interaction after outcome-specific Holm adjustment.