ORIGINAL ARTICLES   

Minerva Stomatologica 2004 March;53(3):101-10

Copyright © 2004 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: Italian

Prosthetic rehabilitation of edentulous patients after stroke

Corsalini M., Grassi R., Di Venere D., Carella M., Caprio S., Covelli M.

Aim. Stroke is actually the 3rd cause of death in the world after cardiovascular diseases and cancer. In Italy, every year there are 100000 new cases; 2/3 of them die or become heavily disabled. The greatest part of patients which survive is old-aged and 70% of patients that survive is a removable denture wearer.
Methods. At the Neurological Clinic of the Polyclinic Hospital of Bari we have studied 14 removable denture wearers that had had a stroke.
Results. We observed that 85.7 % of removable dentures were inefficient, in 50% there will need a new removable prosthesis; 50% of persons had a bad dental hygiene; 93% of denture wearers with stroke didn't make an odontoiatric control after stroke.
Conclusion. Although the analysis of the orodental status has been carried out on a limited number of patients, the need of a greater motivation and solicitation in dental check-up is underlined. The role of the dentist in oral rehabilitation and in rehabilitation of post stroke dysphagia in stroke survivors is also examined.