Abstract:

Tooth loss is a prevalent health concern affecting two-thirds of the geriatric population in the United States. Most patients replace missing teeth with dentures, which have the potential to become dislodged, swallowed, and stuck somewhere along the gastrointestinal tract (termed denture impaction). We queried the Pennsylvania Patient Safety Reporting System (PA-PSRS) and identified 68 denture impaction events reported from 2004 to 2019. An in-depth analysis revealed that patients were most often male, and the median patient age was 77 years. The most common symptoms reported by patients with denture impaction included difficult and/or painful swallowing, breathing trouble or respiratory distress, sore throat, foreign body sensation in the throat, throat obstruction preventing insertion of a tube or scope, choking, excessively thick and/or bloody oral secretions, and vomiting or regurgitation of food. The pharynx was the most common site of denture impaction, and x-ray imaging was the most common diagnostic test mentioned. The most common method of removal was surgery, and the most common surgical procedures employed were esophagogastroduodenoscopy and laryngoscopy. We believe that we have identified a category of den­ture impaction events that has not previously been characterized. Our study, coupled with the existing medical literature, suggests that all patients, along with their caregivers and healthcare providers, should be aware of the proactive steps to avoid denture impaction, as well as signs and symptoms of impaction for early identification and treatment.

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