Rehabilitation of edentulous patient suffering from severe gag reflex with palate-free denture and intramucosal zirconia inserts

Abstract

A hypersensitive gagging reflex often prevents the dentist from carrying out critical procedures or causes them to perform less satisfactorily. Complete dentures fabricated for patients suffering from hypersensitive gag reflex generally have compromised retention and stability. The use of intramucosal inserts to aid retention of a maxillary denture has been reported in the past. Zirconia is a tissue compatible biomaterial whose scope and application in dentistry is on the rise. This paper reports the fabrication of zirconia intramucosal inserts and the technique of its incorporation in the maxillary complete denture to enhance retention, stability and thereby oral function in gag reflex patients.