Research Projects

Residual Ridge Resorption (RRR) is a progressive depletion of alveolar jaw bone without teeth, which supports prosthetics and restores esthetics and function. This depleted foundation leads to poor prosthodontic prognosis and is caused by a combination of local and systemic factors. Severe RRR has local and systemic implications, and assessing its severity can help predict the prognosis of prosthetic interventions, determine prosthetic wear duration, make necessary modifications, alert to frequency of remakes, and initiate pharmacological interventions. The scientific objective is to identify diagnostic salivary markers for assessing alveolar ridge resorption in edentate subjects. Salivary samples will be collected and assessed for the presence and level of five biomarkers (MMP-8, IL-1b, RANKL, OPG, and OC) using ELISA. Orthopantomograms will be performed to assess residual ridge resorption levels. If the research objective is achieved, salivary markers diagnostic of severe alveolar resorption will be identified, leading to necessary prosthetic/pharmacological/surgical interventions to address the resorption, improving prosthodontic outcomes, esthetics, mastication, quality of life, and systemic health in the edentulous elderly. Salivary marker estimation will become part of routine treatment planning for the edentulous.