An index for assessment of oral health in the edentulous population

Abstract

Success or failure of prosthodontic treatment, in terms of comfort and function, is linked to tissue health. To date, no baseline indication of inflammatory status hzs been available to objectively evaluate preprosthetic tissue preparation. The Prosthodontic Tissue Index (PTI) was developed in a manner similar to periodontal indexes, to provide objective clinical evaluation of basal supporting tissueS. At the University of Michigan, 150 patients who were edentulous in one or both arches were examined and asked a series of questions relating to their prosthetic history. The inflammatory status of basal seat tissues was scored according t o defined observable inflammatory changes. Inflammation status was charted on a grid delineated by major areas of denture support for each arch. In 97% of patients examined, inflammatory changes requiring some degree of preprosthetic management were found. Tissue abnormalities other than inflammation that required specific management were noted in 62% of the patientS. Although nearly all patients registered problems relative t o their prostheses, most were not aware of the extent of their tis-sue changes. Dental care should be concerned with the preservation of health and function in the middle and older ageS. Principal epidemiological characteristics of the edentulous population showed that: most patients with complete dentures have pathologic tissue changes that require treatment; and tissue changes have little relation t o a patient's perception of denture success or personal oral health status.