Residual Ridge Resorption

Residual ridge resorption (RRR) is a major disease entity that results in functional impairment of stomatognathic system. The loss of bone following the extraction of teeth at the sight of edentulous ridge has been characterized as a long term, cumulative and irreversible process that often proceeds at an alarmingly rapid rate. RRR is a multifactorial problem with a number of interacting / coexisting factors that cause the alveolar bone loss. Resorption of alveolar bone seems inevitable when teeth are lost, yet variability exists between persons. Both between and within the jaws and over time. The causes of RRR has remained elusive; it includes osteogenic cell population, local tissue factors, systemic biomechanical factors, physical loading factors and prosthetic factors. The findings suggest that clinical judgement of prosthodontics depends not only on a profound understanding of the myriad of significant technical factors but also on the understanding of the complex interrelationship of these technical factors with anatomic metabolic, and functional factors. This is what makes prosthodontics challenging and interesting.