Abstract
Few studies have been reported on the scientific measurements of the thickness and dimensions of the posterior palatal seal (PPS) area. The purpose of this study is to measure and analyze the thickness of palatal mucosa by using a three-dimensional (3D) model reconstructed with computed tomography (CT) images and to present objective values by identifying the PPS area. The CT images were reconstructed as a 3D model by separating the maxillary palate mucosa and teeth. Each reconstructed model was analyzed and the thickness was measured at 93 crossing points of each divided plane. The dimension of the PPS area was measured and the right and left dimensions of the PPS area were compared. The thickness of the palatal mucosa was thicker toward the posterior area. The thickness increased in the lateral direction and decreased again. In the PPS area, the mean dimension between the rearmost of anterior border and the most posterior line was 2.19 mm and the mean dimension between the forefront of anterior border and the most posterior line was 5.19 mm in the right side and 5.16 mm in the left side. The mean dimension from the center of the palate to the right most forward point was 6.85 mm, and the left was 7.36 mm. The new measurement method of palatal mucosal thickness is noninvasive, accurate, and easy to store and study, so it can be used effectively in planning and manufacturing the maxillary complete denture in the digital workflows.
Highlights
Complete denture treatment is a complex and challenging procedure that involves the design of the prosthesis
A tissue of the posterior palatal seal (PPS) area has functional movement, and, during processing of the denture, a gap between the tissue and the intaglio surface of the denture is caused by the polymerization of the acrylic resin, mostly in the PPS area
The high-resolution 128-slice multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) (Ingenuity Core 128; Philips Medical Systems, Best, The Netherlands) and 64-slice MDCT (Aquilion Prime Model TSX-303A; Toshiba Medical Systems Corp., Tokyo, Japan) scanners were employed with an axial slice thickness of 0.5-1.0 mm
Summary
Complete denture treatment is a complex and challenging procedure that involves the design of the prosthesis. This prosthesis is placed in the midst of a vital, dynamic oral environment on a foundation that is very unstable. Border molding of the oral cavity is required to obtain maximum extension of the complete denture. For the preparation of the maxillary complete denture, the posterior border should be determined, and the sealing of the posterior area should be performed [4]. It is important to seal hermetically in the PPS area for the retention of the maxillary complete denture [5]. Silverman [7] performed a study on 92 patients to clinically, radiographically, and histologically evaluate the PPS area and reported that the greatest mean anteroposterior width of the PPS area was BioMed Research International
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