23 February 2021

---

HYGIENE PROTOCOLS FOR THE MAINTENANCE OF REMOVABLE PROSTHESES, OVERDENTURE AND TORONTO PROSTHESES ON IMPLANTS

Authors: Daniela Sorrentino, Lucrezia Cinquanta, Stefania Pischetola, Niccolò Lombardi, Andrea Sardella, Christian Barbieri, Elena Maria Varoni

---

Although the decline in the prevalence of severe tooth loss in the last decades, the progressive aging of the population worldwide will sustain the percentage of partial or completely edentulous elderly. In these patients, prosthetic rehabilitation acquires a pivotal role, in the perspective of ensuring a high-level quality of life. The aim of this manuscript is to describe oral hygiene procedures, performed both at home and at the dental clinic, keystones for oral health prevention and for the long-term maintenance of prostheses.

Material and methods: This narrative review emphasizes the risk of biofilm colonization of the prosthetic surfaces. It focuses on the main methods for the hygienic maintenance of removable prostheses, overdentures and Toronto prostheses, providing, on the basis of literature data, useful advices for the patient to be followed at home, and for the dental team to be performed at the chair.

Conclusions: The compliance of the patient is mandatory for the successful treatment plan at long-term; this can be achieved by motivating the patient in a stimulating and repeated manner over time, providing him precise and personalized oral hygiene instructions, and including him in a personalized recall program with periodic dental visits and professional oral hygiene sessions.

Clinical significance: Home and professional oral hygiene procedures for the maintenance of prostheses are crucial for the long-term success of rehabilitation.