Background: Heterogeneous groups of oral lesions are likely to develop among denture wearers. The objectives of this study were to determine the exact prevalence of oral lesions among denture wearers attending the clinics of the College of Dentistry, University of Dammam.
Materials and methods: All denture wearers attending the dental clinics in the period between January 2012 and April 2013 were included in this study. Of the total 210 patients, 166 (79%) were males and 44 (21%) were females. Comprehensive oral examination was performed for all patients. Any denture-induced lesion was biopsied. Data collected were analyzed using SPSS program.
Results: Oral lesions were found in 20.5% of the cases under study (43 out of the total 210 denture wearers). Denture-induced fibrous hyperplasia was the most common type of lesion detected (41.9%). A significant correlation (P = 0.004) was found between the type of denture and oral lesions in this study.
Conclusion: The prevalence of denture-induced oral lesions was found to differ significantly from that reported in other studies. The diversity of these lesions among different studies depends on the quality and materials of dentures delivered, the techniques used, and the methods of patients' instructions adopted.
Keywords: Denture wearer; oral mucosal lesions; prosthesis.