Impact of Human Genome Project on treatment of frail and edentulous patients

Objective: Because of ongoing increases in life expectancy and deferment of edentulousness to older age, dentists are facing a different challenge to satisfy elderly denture wearers with a higher prevalence of chronic diseases. This discussion introduces the Human Genome databases as novel and powerful resources to re‐examine the core problems experienced by frail and edentulous patients. Background: Recent studies demonstrated that mandibular implant overdentures do not necessarily increase masticatory function, perception and satisfaction in denture wearers with adequate edentulous residual ridges. It has been demonstrated that the rate of edentulous residual ridge resorption significantly varies among individuals. The prognosis and cost‐effectiveness of denture treatment, with or without implants, may largely depend on how the edentulous ridge is maintained. However, reliable clinical methods permitting dentists to predict the long‐term health of the edentulous residual ridge are lacking. Materials and methods: With the completion of the Human Genome Project, the genomic sequence database from this multinational consortium will provide a unique resource to determine the genetic basis of similarity and diversity of humans. Results: One base pair in every 100 to 300 base pairs of the genome sequence varies among humans, suggesting that genetic diagnosis using the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) may provide a novel opportunity to differentiate our edentulous patients. Conclusions: Future dental service for the elderly will require a personalized care paradigm, using highly sensitive diagnostic technology such as SNP genomic analysis, for recommending the treatment with greatest potential benefit.