Survey of Denture Repair Cases: Denture Reinforcement Makes Patients Able to Use Their Dentures for Longer Periods

Purpose: To evaluate the long-term effects of preventive measures against denture fracture using clinical surveys of denture fracture cases from 1984 and 2009. Materials and Methods: This study included 128 patients who presented with a chief complaint of denture fracture and received denture repair treatment in 2009. The following data were collected: denture repair procedure; location of denture base fracture (with or without reinforcement); and period of denture use from insertion to repair. Significant differences in characteristics between patients treated in 1984 and 2009 were determined using the chi-square test (P .05). Results: In 2009, denture fractures comprised 55.5% of all repair cases. The most frequent location of denture fracture was around the clasp and metal in the denture base. Approximately 45% of all dentures were reinforced. The mean period from denture insertion to repair was 37 months. The number of denture fractures significantly decreased between 1984 and 2009 (P .05), and the number of dentures with reinforcement significantly increased (P .05). The mean period from denture insertion to repair also increased. Conclusion: These findings suggest that denture reinforcement as a preventive measure is effective against denture fracture, allowing patients to use their dentures more effectively.