Outcomes of mandibular Kennedy Class I and II prosthetic rehabilitation - an observational study

Abstract

Tooth loss due to caries, periodontal diseases and trauma is sometimes unavoidable.¹ The World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines indicate that the highest prevalence of partial edentulism occurs between the ages 35-44 years2 and that 12.6% of that sector of the adult population was completely edentulous.2 However, according to the South Africa Demographic and Health Survey (SADHS), 23% of adults aged between 35-44 years were completely edentulous.3 Many South Africans must therefore be partially edentulous. The patterns of tooth loss do vary amongst different populations,4 and various studies have attempted to investigate the link between tooth loss and the different socio-economic factors between communities.