Physiological salivary output is 0.75 to 1.5 liters per day, with most originating from the submandibular glands. Saliva is a lubricant and has a complex set of protective and healing functions for the oral cavity. It adheres instantly to...

Epithelial desquamation in the oropharynx limits bacterial accumulation, except on the tongue dorsum and in the tonsillar crypts. Loss of teeth dramatically reduces the load of periodontal pathogens except for Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans and to a...

Head and neck cancers is mainly represented by head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Incidence in males is higher than in females (2,8:1). Human papilloma virus (HPV) has been demonstrated to be related to the increased...

A universally accepted definition of ideal occlusion has been elusive. This is because an ideal occlusion can only be defined in broad terms of a physiological range of form and function. Functional aspects of occlusion, rather than specific anatomical...

Saliva plays a significant role in the preservation and maintenance of oral health and function. It supports digestion by preparing food for mastication and swallowing, contributes to taste perception, facilitates speech communication and provides oral tissues...

The gingiva is tightly connected to the underlying periosteum. It is globally keratinized and has a stippled surface. Its color varies from pink to brown or even black, depending on race and/or melanin deposits. It can be distinguished from alveolar mucosa, which...

Examination of existing dentures provides invaluable information on patients’ perceptions of teeth and soft tissue esthetics, including facial vertical dimension support. It also informs clinicians regarding their patients’ overall...

Routine evaluation of a patient’s temporo-mandibular joint function is an integral part of any oral examination.
Moreover, good muscular control and painless coordination of jaw movements are desirable in the management of edentulism...

The key to understanding maxillo-mandibular jaw relations from a patient-centered treatment point of view is to recognize the inseparable nature of the mandible’s two positions - vertical and horizontal. They can be discussed...

The recording of patient-specific vertical and horizontal jaw relations is a necessary starting point when planning for the occlusal rehabilitation. They are integral components of the mandible’s centric relation (CR)...

Most patients’ mouth opening readily permits access for routine prosthodontic and surgical treatment interventions. Limited mouth opening or microstomia is encountered in patients exposed to sclerodermia, diffuse systemic...

Optimal esthetic treatment outcomes require a harmonious reconciliation between lip morhology and teeth positioning. Lips provide a picture frame for the anterior teeth that support them; with mouth size and labial contours depending on genetically...

Relevant risk factors for implant treatment:

• Children and adolescents (during ongoing bone/skeletal development), unless in selected anodontia patients. However, implant placement for orthodontic treatment purposes is indicated.
• Uncontrolled metabolic diseases such as Diabetes Mellit...

Radiotherapy

Rehabilitation of patients with oral cancers is usually done in a combined way with surgical, chemo- and radio-therapy. Radiotherapy predisposes to fibrotization, ischemia and xerostomia. The latter side-effect renders mucosally supported dentures even more difficult to...

A steroid is an organic compound and a type of lipid substance. Steroids play a critical role in metabolism, for example, as the dietary fat Cholesterol, as bile acids or as steroid hormones (e.g. Cortisone/Glucocorticoids, Estrogens, Testosterone). The more complex...