ORAL STEREOGNOSTIC EFFICIENCY AMONG DENTULOUS AND EDENTULOUS PATIENTS

Abstract

Aim/ Objective: To evaluate oral stereognostic efciency among dentulous and edentulous patients. Introduction: Stereognosis is the ability of the person to identify shape, size, texture, weight of an object using tactile sensations without looking at them. The study was conducted to examine the difference Methodology: in oral sensory function by testing the subjects with their oral stereognostic ability (OSA) and to determine the effect of wearing complete dentures on OSA. The OSA tests were conducted with various shapes of wax pellets approved by NIDR for stereognosis. A total of 20 dentate and 20 edentulous subjects free from oral symptoms and pathologies participated in this study. Before starting the study, subjects inclusion and exclusion criteria was informed. Results: The answers were recorded using Mc cord and smith three-point scale. ANOVA and paired t-tests were used to examine signicant differences. P-values <0.005 were considered to be statistically signicant. The OSA score in dentate subjects was signicantly higher than in edentate subjects. Oral stereognostic ability decreases with age; however, oral sensory function w Conclusion: as not signicantly different between fully dentate persons and complete denture wearers in the elderly.