Perceptual changes in the anterior maxilla after placement of endosseous implants.
BACKGROUND
The innervation of skin and oral mucosa plays a major physiologic role in exteroception. It is also of interest clinically, as illustrated by sensory changes after neurosurgical procedures.


OBJECTIVE
The goal of this study was to assess the perception of mechanical stimuli applied to the anterior maxilla in denture wearers and subjects rehabilitated with osseointegrated implants compared with that in subjects with a natural dentition.


METHODS
Five groups of subjects were selected and tested in the maxillary region only. Test groups included patients with a complete denture, an implant-supported fixed prosthesis (full or partial), or a single-tooth replacement. Light-touch sensation and two-point discrimination were performed on the buccal side of the alveolar mucosa and vibrotactile function was determined for natural teeth, full dentures, or implant-supported prostheses.


RESULTS
For light-touch sensation, no significant differences could be found between the groups. For two-point discrimination, full-denture patients showed higher threshold levels than the other groups. The threshold levels for vibrotactile function were higher in both full dentures and implant-supported prostheses compared with natural dentitions.


CONCLUSIONS
Natural dentitions offer superior vibrotactile function compared to any other dental status. Full dentures often show a stronger deterioration of the (vibro)tactile function compared with implant-supported prostheses.
Jacobs
R
R
Laboratory of Oral Physiology, Department of Periodontology, School of Dentistry, Oral Pathology and Maxillofacial Surgery, Catholic University Leuven, Leuven, Belgium. Reinhilde.Jacobs@med.kuleuven.ac.be
Wu
C H
CH
Goossens
K
K
Van Loven
K
K
van Steenberghe
D
D
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000539:Alveolar Process / Q000502:physiology; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003758:Dental Implantation, Endosseous; D015921:Dental Implants; D019250:Dental Implants, Single-Tooth; D019094:Dental Prosthesis, Implant-Supported; D003824:Denture, Complete; D003830:Denture, Partial, Fixed; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016018:Least-Squares Analysis; D008297:Male; D008437:Maxilla / Q000502:physiology* / Q000601:surgery; D008875:Middle Aged; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000502:physiology; D016348:Osseointegration; D012815:Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D014070:Tooth / Q000502:physiology; D014110:Touch / Q000502:physiology*; D014732:Vibration
D015921:Dental Implants