Q. Enumerate the anatomic consequences of edentulism?
The anatomic consequences of edentulism include the effect of edentulism on bone and soft tissues. Basal bone forms the dental skeletal structure. Wolff's law states that the bone remodels in relationship to the forces applied. With a change in the function of the bone everytime, a definite change occurs in the internal architecture and external configuration. When a tooth is lost, the lack of stimulation to the residual bone causes a decrease in trabeculae and bone density in the area, with loss in the external width, then height, and then of the bone volume.
The bone loss often accelerates on wearing a poorly fitting soft tissue-borne prosthesis. The continued atrophy of the posterior mandible eventually causes prominent mylohyoid and internal oblique ridges covered by thin, movable, unattached mucosa, prominent superior genial tubercles with the resulting elevation of prosthesis with contraction of mylohyoid and buccinator muscles serving as a posterior support.
As bone looses width, height, volume, the attached gingiva gradually decreases and is prone to abrasions caused by the overlying prosthesis. In addition high muscle attachments and hypermobile tissue often complicates the situation.