The residual dentition among New Zealanders in aged residential care.

Having various degrees of tooth loss was the norm, with the upper tooth-bounded saddles against any partially dentate lower combination most common, and limited to females. An edentulous maxilla opposed by some standing teeth was observed in over one-quarter of the population, and most common among Māori and those who were older. Maxillary prostheses were much more common than mandibular ones. Caring for dentate older people in aged residential care is likely to be complicated by the wide range of dentition configurations.