Shimizu K, Suzuki H, Isoyama N, Yanagihara Y, Minakuchi S. Influence of wearing complete dentures on control of head position during walking in edentulous older adults. J Oral Rehabil 2023; DOI: 10.1111/joor.13516. Online ahead of print.

Wearing complete dentures while walking might improve head stability and contribute to walking stability in edentulous older adults.

This study aimed to clarify the effect of complete dentures on head stability during walking in edentulous older adults. Twenty edentulous older adults (11 men and 9 women; mean age 78.6 ± 5.8 years) who used complete dentures were included. Acceleration and angle rate sensors were placed on the participants' brow, chin, and waist, and they were asked to walk a 20m passage under two conditions: with and without dentures. Acceleration without dentures, the variance values of the chin and the peak-to-peak values of the brow and chin were significantly larger than with dentures. Angle rate without dentures, the variance values and the peak-to-peak values of the brow and chin were also significantly larger than with dentures.