Assessment of Removable Partial Denture Complications in Relation to Classification Systems: A Pilot Study

48th Conference of the European Prosthodontic Association (EPA), Nevşehir, Türkiye, 11 - 13 Eylül 2025, cilt.1, ss.116, (Özet Bildiri)

OBJECTIVES: Removable partial dentures (RPDs) are

commonly used in patients with long edentulous spaces,

particularly when implants are contraindicated. This study

aimed to evaluate the prevalence of mechanical and biological

complications that may affect the survival of RPDs and to

investigate their association with different classification

systems and denture age.

MATERIALS-METHODS: A total of 205 RPDs from 134 patients

were examined. The distribution of dentures by jaw, Eicher

and Kennedy classifications, denture age and both mechanical

and biological complications were recorded. The relationship

between complications and denture age, Eichner classification,

Kennedy classification, as well as the correlation between

denture age and the classification systems, was analyzed using

one-way ANOVA and the chi-square test, with significance set

at p<0.05.

RESULTS: No association was found between denture age

and either classification system. Among the complications,

only ulcerations showed a significant difference between

the jaws, being more common in mandibular dentures.

Mechanical complications were most frequently observed,

with the most common being the loss or fracture of artificial

teeth. Of all complication types, only mechanical complications

were significantly associated with denture age, occurring

more frequently in mandibular dentures aged 10 years or

older and maxillary dentures aged 15 years or older. Denture

stomatitis was significantly associated with Kennedy Class III,

and inflammatory papillary hyperplasia with Kennedy Class II,

both observed in mandibular dentures; in the maxilla, epulis

fissuratum was more frequent in Eichner groups A3 and C1.

CONCLUSIONS: The frequency of mechanical complications

increased with denture age, supporting the need for regular

follow-up, especially after 10-15 years. While certain

associations were found between complication types and

classification systems, their predictive value in assesing

complication risk appears limited, emphasizing the importance

of individualized evaluation in RPD maintenance.