Determination of the Frequency of Various Anatomical Forms of the Hard Palate for Complete Denture Fabrication

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To determine the frequency of patients with various anatomical forms of the hard palate for complete denture fabrication and to compare the mean distortion in heat cure denture base polymer in millimetres in different hard palate forms. METHODOLOGY: Informed consent was taken from total of seventy six patients and divided into low and medium hard palate forms. Dental casts were prepared from alginate impression and poured in type III stone and reference point R was marked on the deepest part of the posterior palatal seal area at the junction of hard and soft palate on each cast. After curing, the cast along with the cured denture base was retrieved from the flask. After 48h of curing cycle the distortion was measured in millimetres from R to R' via traveling microscope. RESULTS: Among seventy six participants the frequency of low palate forms was 45 (59.2%) and medium palate forms was 31 (40.8%). For each sample three readings were taken R1, R2 and R3. The mean distortion measured in low hard palate form was 0.52mm with a standard deviation of 0.18, the mean distortion measured in medium hard palate form was 0.76mm with a standard deviation of 0.27, which were clinically significant with a p-value of 0.0001. CONCLUSION: The hard palate forms has direct influence on retention of maxillary complete denture in posterior palatal area. KEY WORDS: Heat Cure denture base, distortion in hard palate forms, dimensional changes in heat cure, hard palate anatomy and denture bases