Efficacy of tissue brushing as measured by the prosthodontic tissue index.

OMPLETE dentures are designed to replace lost teeth and restore comfort, function, and C natural appearance. Unfortunately, the stomatognathic system does not always respond favorably to these oral substitutes. Acute and chronic inflammatory changes of the oral mucosa beneath complete dentures are common, and the cause of these changes has been the subject of many reports. Even with the control of these etiologic variables, localized inflammatory response of the oral mucosa may continue. The management of the abused tissues is the shared responsibility of dentist and patient. Although soft bristle brushing has been considered valuable in reducing oral tissue inflammation, direct clinical evaluation of this method has lacked controlled objectivity. This study was initiated to determine the efficacy of brushing the oral mucosa of the edentulous mouth as a method of reducing soft tissue inflammation. A qualitative means of clinical evaluation, the Prosthodontic Tissue Index (PTI), was used.1-3