title: The effect of tooth loss on gait stability of community-dwelling older adults.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effects of tooth loss on gait stability in a healthy elderly population.
  
  
  METHODS
  A case-control study was conducted among healthy and prosthetically well-restored seniors over the age of 65 years. The test group comprised 24 edentulous participants who were restored with complete dentures in the upper jaw and an overdenture fixed on two implants in the lower jaw. The control group comprised 25 dentate participants who either still had their natural teeth or were restored with conventional fixed partial dentures. Gait stability was evaluated by measuring the parameters 'gait velocity' and 'cycle-time variability' during self-selected normal walking speed and under dual-task performance conditions. Measurements were conducted using the GAITRite(®) electronic walkway system.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Dentated and fixed restored participants (the control group) had a significantly higher gait velocity compared with denture wearers (the test group) under both normal walking (p = 0.03) and dual-task performance conditions (p = 0.01). In each test condition, among edentulous participants, gait velocity did not significantly differ according to whether the participant wore their dentures.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present results suggest that tooth loss in healthy seniors is associated with lower gait velocity and therefore may have a negative impact on gait stability.
authors.affiliation: Clinic for Reconstructive Dentistry and Temporomandibular Disorders, Dental School, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Christina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Brand
authors.affiliation: University Center for Medicine of Aging Basel, Felix Platter-Hospital, Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Stephanie A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Bridenbaugh
authors.affiliation: Clinic for Reconstructive Dentistry and Temporomandibular Disorders, Dental School, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Mateja
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Perkovac
authors.affiliation: Clinic for Reconstructive Dentistry and Temporomandibular Disorders, Dental School, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Fabienne
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Glenz
authors.affiliation: Clinic for Reconstructive Dentistry and Temporomandibular Disorders, Dental School, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Christian E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Besimo
authors.affiliation: Clinic for Reconstructive Dentistry and Temporomandibular Disorders, Dental School, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Pedram
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sendi
authors.affiliation: University Center for Medicine of Aging Basel, Felix Platter-Hospital, Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Reto W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Kressig
authors.affiliation: Clinic for Reconstructive Dentistry and Temporomandibular Disorders, Dental School, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Carlo P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Marinello
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003824:Denture, Complete; D005260:Female; D005684:Gait / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D057187:Independent Living / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D004856:Postural Balance; D011788:Quality of Life; D016388:Tooth Loss / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016138:Walking / Q000502:physiology
keywords: gait analysis; gait stability; geriatrics; gerodontology; restorative dentistry; seniors; tooth loss