requiring the entry of a password.

The RFID
tags used in this study do not interfere with
medical devices because the power needed to
read the information is sent from the reader
unit. Overall, RFID provides an interesting al-
ternative to current denture identication ef-
forts. Issues with cost and availability need to
be addressed.
Madrid C, Korsvold T, Rochat A, et al: Radio frequency identication
(RFID) of dentures in long-term care facilities. J Prosthet Dent
107:199-202, 2012
Reprints available fromC Madrid, Bugnon St. 44, CH-1011 Lausanne,
Switzerland. Fax: 41213144770; e-mail: carlos.madrid@hospvd.ch
Denture adhesive benets
Background.The clinical indications for using den-
ture adhesives for well-made dentures include when ana-
tomic structures are compromised by ridge shape, tissue
resilience, and border attachments that do not provide suf-
cient stability and retention; when medical conditions im-
pair neuromuscular control and the patients ability to
develop the adaptive muscle behaviors needed to control
denture movement; when the patients mucosa are thinned
by age or susceptible to irritation in the presence of inade-
quate salivary ow; to avoid food particle accumulation un-
der dentures; and when the patient desires better retention
or stability than has been achieved. Creams, strips, and
powders are available for use as denture adhesives to ad-
dress consumer needs. The effects of three denture adhe-
sives on the retention, stability, and movement in function
of well-tting, well-made dentures were studied, along
with the usefulness of adhesive in preventing food from be-
coming trapped under dentures.
Methods.A randomized, crossover investigation com-
pared two marketed denture adhesives and an unmarketed
creamadhesive. The test creamwas Super Poligrip Free, the
test strip was Super Poligrip Comfort Seal Strips, and the un-
marketed cream was from GlaxoSmithCline Consumer
Healthcare. A negative control group used no adhesives.
The 36 subjects (average age 70.65 years) had worn den-
tures an average of 23 years, but the average age of the den-
tures tested was 6.4 years. One hour after the denture
adhesive was applied, measurements of retention and sta-
bility were obtained using the Kapur Index and maxillary in-
cisal bite force test. Two hours after application, functional
tests measured denture movement and peanut particle mi-
gration under the dentures. Subjective patient assessments
were also gathered, rating condence, comfort, satisfaction
with dentures, and denture wobble during the functional
tests.
Results.Retention without adhesive for both maxil-
lary and mandibular dentures was rated good to very
good and stability was rated good to excellent. The three
denture adhesives signicantly increased both retention
and stability compared to no adhesive. Cream adhesives
showed highly signicant increases compared to no adhe-
sives, whereas the strip adhesive increased stability signi-
cantly and retention highly signicantly.
Bite force increased by 2 to 4 lb 1 hour after denture
adhesive application, which was statistically signicant.
Cream adhesives achieved highly signicant increases in
bite force.
With the adhesive in place patients were able to take sig-
nicantly more bites of an apple without dislodgement and
had signicantly less dislodgement than without the adhe-
sive. Based on these results, patients rated their condence,
comfort, and satisfaction with dentures signicantly greater
when an adhesive was used than without an adhesive. The
satisfaction scores did not differ between no adhesive con-
trol and the use of test strips, however. Denture wobble was
also signicantly less with the denture adhesive in place
than without it.
All of the groups had a minimal amount of peanut par-
ticle migration under the dentures. With the adhesive, pa-
tients reported higher scores in terms of condence,
comfort, and satisfaction while eating peanuts. These
scores were signicantly better than those reported with-
out an adhesive in place. Denture wobble while eating pea-
nuts was also signicantly reduced with the adhesive
compared to without it.
Sixteen oral adverse events were reported by 10 pa-
tients. All were considered mild.
50 Dental Abstracts
Discussion.Use of an adhesive product with dentures
produced better retention, stability, maxillary bite force,
and denture dislodgement results than not using these
products. Patients rated their condence, comfort, and sat-
isfaction more highly when using the denture adhesive than
when it was not used.
Clinical Signicance.Although the assess-
ment of these denture adhesives was limited to
a 2-hour period after application, studies indicate
that it is likely that these positive results would
continue for a longer duration. Dental profes-
sionals can help to guide denture patients on
the proper use and application of denture adhe-
sives. They should also educate their patients to
expect that their dentures will need to be retted
or relined with time. Patients should know that
adhesives are to be used sparingly and if their use
increases, it is likely an indication that the den-
tures have become ill-tting. Denture patients
should also be advised about problems related
to the use of zinc-containing adhesives. Despite
the lackof natural teeth, patients still needtovisit
the dentist regularly to evaluate denture t and
check for cancer and other oral diseases.
Munoz CA, Gendreau L, Shanga G, et al: A clinical study to evaluate
denture adhesive use in well-tting dentures. J Prosthodont 21:123-
129, 2012
Reprints available from J Dorcher, GlaxoSmithKline Consumer
Healthcare, 1500 Littleton Rd., Parsippany, NJ 07054, USA; e-mail:
JohnP.Durocher@gsk.com
Restorative Dentistry
Teaching repair rather than replacement
Background.Because of developments in tooth-
colored restorative systems and new approaches to caries
management, the teaching of operative dentistry has been
changing across the world. Minimally invasive dentistry
has become the guiding philosophy, and students are being
schooled in posterior composite resin placement at least as
often as in amalgam techniques. The result will be more
composite resin restorations will be placed in general den-
tal practices. The performance of posterior composites in
clinical service will, as a result, need to be improved.
Some restorations inevitably require replacement. How-
ever, deteriorating but still serviceable restorations may
be repaired rather than done away with. This reects a min-
imally invasive approach and offers many advantages, such
as being more conservative of tooth tissue, reducing the
risk of iatrogenic damage, reducing the need for local anes-
thesia, giving an opportunity for better patient experiences,
and saving both time and resources. Composite restoration
repair may also contain an element of refurbishment, in-
cluding renishing or resurfacing with or without recon-
touring of the restoration. A review of the undergraduate
teaching programs of Scandinavian dental schools done in
20022003 revealed marked variations in the teaching of in-
dications for and expected longevities of composite restora-
tion repairs. The contemporary teaching of composite
repair techniques in Scandinavian dental schools was
assessed.
Methods.A questionnaire was mailed to the 12 Scan-
dinavian (four Swedish, three Norwegian, three Finnish,
and two Danish) dental schools in late 2010/early 2011.
Questions focused on the undergraduate teaching of com-
posite repair techniques, indications for such techniques,
and materials used. All 12 schools responded.
Results.Eleven of the 12 schools indicated they cur-
rently taught repair of defective direct composite restora-
tions in the primary dental degree program, with the
twelfth school indicating it planned to include this within
the next 5 years but currently had a lack of personal
clinical experience for performing such repairs. The rea-
sons for teaching these procedures cited were personal
clinical experience, existing literature, and case reports.
Teaching techniques were reported as both didactic and
clinical for the 11 schools that included this topic. Six re-
ported the relevant clinical teaching was primarily based
on clinical case scenarios in student clinics; one reported
the teaching of composite repairs included no clinical
experience.
Indications for repair rather than replacement that
were being taught included tooth substance preservation,
reduced harmful effects on the pulp, reduced costs to the
patient, and reduced treatment time. Ten schools agreed
that marginal defects were an indication for the repair of
Volume 58

Issue 1

2013 51