Abstract

Almost two-thirds (63.2%) of the Chilean population aged 65 and above use removable prosthesis. When they cease to be functional, injuries may occur in the oral mucosa, with denture stomatitis being the most prevalent. This is an inflammatory process of the supportive mucosa of varying extension and severity, with its main etiologic factor being infection by Candida spp. The aim of this investigation was to determine the quantity and species of yeast of the genus Candida and their association with denture stomatitis in carriers of removable prosthesis, before and after the rehabilitation treatment. A descriptive quantitative study was conducted on 34 patients, with a mean age of 69 years, and carriers of a non-functional removable prosthesis, with and without prosthetic stomatitis. Saliva samples were taken before and after the treatment for the counting and identification of genus Candida yeast. The variables were statistically analyzed. The results showed a diagnosis of prosthetic stomatitis in 55.9% of the subjects, of which 29.4% were Type I and 26.5% were Type II. The Candida sppcount was higher in the subjects with prosthetic stomatitis both before and after the treatment. The count decreased significantly after installing a functional prosthesis. However, it remained high in those with prosthetic stomatitis. The most frequently identified species was Candida albicans.