Longevity of Relined or Rebased Dentures

Key Messages

What Is the Issue?

• Tooth loss is a common condition that can affect speech, nutrition, mental health, and quality of life. Dentures are prosthetic devices used to replace missing teeth and restore oral function and aesthetics.
• Dentures require regular care and maintenance — including relining and rebasing procedures, which can restore denture fit, function, and comfort in individuals with tooth loss.
• There is uncertainty regarding the longevity of complete or partial removable dentures following relining or rebasing, as well as the appropriate timing of providing these procedures. This Rapid Review was prepared in response to a request from decision-makers.

What Did We Do?

• We conducted a rapid review to summarize evidence on the longevity of relined and rebased dentures. We searched key resources, including journal citation databases, and conducted a focused internet search for relevant evidence published since 2001.

What Did We Find?

• We did not find any clinical evidence on the longevity of rebased dentures that met our selection criteria for this review. We did not find any evidence-based guidelines that provide recommendations on how often dentures should be relined or rebased.
• We identified 1 prospective single-arm cohort study that evaluated the longevity of relined dentures.
  • Of the 50 participants evaluated at 1-year follow-up, 47 (94%) were assessed as having well-fitted dentures with no need for adjustment or additional relining, while 3 (6%) were assessed as having a slight change in adaptation that remained within the normal range and was clinically acceptable. No participants were assessed as having an ill-fitted denture that required additional relining or fabrication of a new denture. The authors did not report the types of dentures or denture materials eligible for inclusion in the study.
  • These findings have a risk of bias due to several methodological and reporting issues, including concerns related to how the need for additional denture relining was assessed. The findings have limited applicability to clinical settings in Canada.

What Does This Mean?

• Published evidence on the longevity of relined and rebased dentures and the appropriate timing of these procedures is limited.
• Decision-making regarding the appropriate timing of relining and rebasing procedures could draw on clinical expertise and other sources of information (e.g., dental service utilization data, patient preferences).