Clinical evaluation of maxillary edentulous patients to determine the prevalence and oral risk factors of combination syndrome

Background/purposeDestructive changes in maxillary edentulous patients with different mandibular occlusal schemes were first described many years ago. However, little is known about the causative factors for “combination syndrome”. The aim of the present study was to determine the prevalence and distribution of symptoms associated with combination syndrome among maxillary edentulous patients with different mandibular occlusal schemes.Materials and methodsThis study examined the clinical and prosthetic status of 100 maxillary edentulous patients with four different mandibular occlusal schemes to evaluate the prevalence of and oral risk factors for combination syndrome. Data were analyzed using logistic regression analysis.ResultsOnly nine patients were found to have all five symptoms of combination syndrome. All of these patients used dentures. Eight of them had Kennedy class I and one had Kennedy class II mandibular occlusal schemes.ConclusionDevelopment of symptoms associated with combination syndrome, especially mandibular posterior alveolar bone loss, cannot be prevented by the use of removable partial dentures.