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Introduction: In edentulous patients, mandibular movements are disrupted due to limited proprioception and changed force vectors of masticatory muscles. Aim: The aim of the study is to assess mandibular movements in the horizontal plane in edentulous patients after exercises of efficiency. Material and methods: Twenty-four edentulous patients, aged 41-80 years, who had never undergone any prosthodontics treatment, participated in the study. Mandibular movements in the horizontal plane (the Gothic arch) were drawn using the Gerber system. Mandibular movements were disturbed in every case. Three study groups (each with 8 patients) were for medaccording to the Gothic ar0chtracings. Patients were asked to move the mandible forward, to the left and to the right (10 times each movement), 10 times a day for a period of 3 weeks. After this time, the qualitative and quantitative evaluations of the Gothic arch were performed. Results: After 3 - week exercises, the improvement in the protrusive movement was found in 12 patients, in the lateral movement to the right in 21 patients, and in the lateral movement to the left in 20 patients. The angle between the right arm of the Gothic arch and the horizontal line became wider in 12 cases. The angle between the left arm of the Gothic arch and the horizontal line became wider in 13 cases. All mandibular movements were ataxic (multilinear). Conclusions: Exercises of efficiency induce mainly improvement in lateral movements and should be included in prosthodontics rehabilitation of edentulous patients. However, they have no influence on the disturbed movement coordination.(Clin Exp Med Lett 2007; 48(1):49-54)

Keywords: edentulous patients, mandibular movement, exercises of efficiency, Gothicarchtracing