Composition and properties of soft lining materials for acrylic dentures

Abstract

Although soft lining materials are inadequate to their requirements their use is widespread. This paper comprises a summary and the conclusions of a comprehensive investigation of these materials which has been undertaken in an attempt to determine which are the better materials and how they may be evaluated. A representative selection of thirteen commercially available soft lining materials was analysed. These, together with four experimental materials, were subjected to laboratory investigation of their water absorption and water solubility; their visco-elastic properties and the effect on these properties of bonding the materials to poly(methyl methacrylate); their rupture properties; their wettability and their effect on the growth of Candida albicans. An attempt was made to relate these properties to the chemical composition of the materials.