DENTAL ARCH DEFECTS IN PATIENTS IN NEED OF PROSTHETIC REHABILITATION: A COMPARATIVE KENNEDY CLASSIFICATION STUDY

This article presents the clinical and structural characteristics of dental arch defects in patients requiring orthopedic dental rehabilitation based on the Kennedy classification. The examination was performed after therapeutic and surgical oral sanitation and prior to prosthetic treatment. Patients were divided into three groups according to their living conditions: residents of “Muruvvat” care homes, individuals living under the supervision of relatives, and independently living patients. The results demonstrated that Kennedy Class I defects and their combined forms predominated in Groups 1 and 2, whereas Group 3 showed the highest prevalence of complete edentulism in both jaws. The findings confirm the significant impact of social factors on the severity of dental arch defects and highlight the necessity of an individualized approach to prosthetic treatment planning.