Evaluation of clinical effectiveness of hygiene products for the care of facial prostheses

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Because of the porous structure of the structural material used in the production of facial prostheses, without careful hygienic care, microbial biofilms may form on the material surface, its color and shape may change, and premature aging may occur. Means for the hygienic care of facial prostheses and research to confirm their clinical effectiveness are crucial in dentistry. AIM: To increase the effectiveness of the hygienic treatment of facial epitheses. METHODS: A single-center randomized study was conducted to assess the clinical effectiveness of hygiene products for the care of facial prostheses. This study involved patients with exenteration of the eye socket, previously prosthetic with adhesive fixation epitheses. The patients were divided into four groups and received different hygienic care methods. Furthermore, during the use of the prosthesis for 14 days and 1 and 3 months, the tissues of the prosthetic bed and hygienic condition of the prosthesis were evaluated, and the quality of life of patients was determined. RESULTS: According to the results of measuring the area of inflammation of tissues of the prosthetic bed of the eye socket at different terms, positive dynamics were found in the groups that used the proposed hygiene products. CONCLUSION: A strong positive correlation (r 0.9) of the average values of the quality of life index, area of inflammation, and hygiene index of the orbital epitheses in the study groups at the appropriate time indicates improved quality of life of patients who used the proposed hygiene products by reducing the amount of bacterial plaque on the surface of the epithesis and, in turn, reducing the area of inflammatory reactions and increasing comfort in wearing the prosthesis.