Oral Functionality in Edentulous Patients

This study evaluates the association between oral stereognostic ability (OSA), salivary flow (SF), and masticatory effectiveness (ME) in edentulous patients using conventional complete dentures. OSA was tested with 12 shaped pieces, SF by chewing paraffin wax, and ME by chewing gum and recording the weight loss of the sweetener. Measurements were taken before denture insertion and after 6 months of denture use. Statistical analysis with paired t-tests and Pearson correlations was conducted. The findings showed negligible correlations between OSA and SF, and between SF and ME. However, a moderate positive correlation was observed between OSA and ME. This suggests that while OSA and SF, and SF and ME may not be strongly related, OSA and ME are moderately correlated. The study concludes that there is some interaction between these factors, indicating that OSA and ME could be more closely linked in denture wearers. Further research with a larger sample is needed to explore these relationships more comprehensively.