The incidence of inflammatory papillary hyperplasia was studied in 892 patients from the dental clinic at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Oklahoma City. The patients were selected if they wore dentures that completely covered the palate. A large number of patients with inflammatory papillary hyperplasia were those who left their dentures in their mouths continuously. Therefore, a high correlation was found between the incidence of inflammatory papillary hyperplasia and the amount of time the patient wore the dentures. Although it is not certain if inflammatory papillary hyperplasia is premalignant, the dentist should try to seek to prevent this abnormal condition by instructing patients to leave dentures out of their mouths for a six-to eight-hour period during each day.