A Review On Posterior Palatal Seal
A Review On Posterior Palatal Seal
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- Professor & Head Of The Department Of Prosthodontics, Abstract:
Ksr Institute Of Dental Science And Research, Tiruchengode.
Recording and replicating the extent of posterior palatal seal and its
2 borders is one of the most important steps in successful treatment of
- Senior Lecturer, Department Of Prosthodontics, the edentulous patients. Recording of the anterior and posterior
Ksr Institute Of Dental Science And Research, Tiruchengode. vibrating lines determines the posterior most extent of the denture
and proper incorporation of post-dam in the edentulous maxillary
Address for correspondence : denture. Incorporation of this post-dam reproduces exact seal in the
Sudhakara V Maller, maxillary denture for proper retention. The aim of this article is to
Department Of Prosthodontics provide some background about the importance of recording
KSR Institute Of Dental Science And Research, posterior palatal seal and methods of recording posterior palatal seal
KSR Kalvinagar, Tiruchengode, for retentive longevity of complete denture prosthesis treatment.
Namakkal Dist- 637215.
Keywords: Posterior Palatal Seal, Vibrating Lines, Denture Retention
Phone Number: 9443051313.
E- Mail Id: drmallers@in.com
the hard palate. It separates the nasopharynx from palatini muscle and the muscular portion of the soft
oropharynx. palate. It demarcates the part of soft palate that has
Vibrating lines are imaginary lines across the limited /shallow movement during function (quivers)
posterior part of the palate, marking the division and the remainder of soft palate that is markedly
between the movable and immovable tissues of soft displaced during functional movements. It is elicited
palate. This can be identified when the movable by asking the patient to say 'ah' in short bursts in a
tissues are in function. normal, unexaggerated fashion. Posterior vibrating
The anatomic structures the help in recording line marks the most distal extension of denture base.
of these vibrating lines are palatine aponeurosis,
hamular process, median palatal raphe, fovea RATIONALE AND IMPORTANCE OF POSTERIOR
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palatini, PALATAL SEAL
Addition of PPS transforms a base with adhesive
Posterior palatal seal: it is a seal area at the retention into very stable base with resistance to
posterior border of maxillary denture. It can be horizontal forces. It forms a partial vacuum when
divided into 2 areas – pterygomaxillary seal, Post subjected to force and enhance retention and stability.
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palatal seal The partial vacuum created does not damage oral
structures and lasts for a very short duration. Care
Pterygomaxillary: seal extends through should be taken not to give excessive border seal as it
pterygomaxillary notch continuing 3-4mm occurs with over scrapping .Adequate distal extension
anterolaterally, approximating the mucogingival of denture base within physiologic limit helps in
junction. It occupies entire width of hamular notch increasing surface area coverage.
(loose connective tissue lying between pterygoid
hamulus of the sphenoid bone and distal portion of IMPORTANCE AND FUNCTIONS OF PPS
maxillary tuberosity). The notch is covered by 1. It maintains contact of denture with soft tissue
pterygomaxillary fold (extend from posterior aspect of during functional movements of stomatognathic
tuberosity to pad). This fold influences the posterior system, by which it decreases gag reflex.
border seal if mouth is wide open during final 2. Decreases food accumulation with adequate
impression procedure. tissue compressibility.
3. Decrease patient discomfort of tongue with
Post palatal seal: is an area between anterior and posterior part of denture.
posterior vibrating line found medially from one 4. Compensation of volumetric shrinkage that
tuberosity to other. It appears to be a cupids bow. occurs during the polymerization of PMMA
5. Increases retention and stability by creating
VIBRATING LINES: These are imaginary lines which partial vacuum.
delineate the PPS. There are two vibrating lines, 6. Increased strength of maxillary denture base.
- Anterior vibrating line
- Posterior vibrating line III. Designs of the posterior palatal seal
The most common Posterior palatal seal
ANTERIOR VIBRATING LINE:- It demarcates zone configuration described by Winland and Young.
of transition between no movement of the tissue 1. A bead posterior palatal seal
overlying hard palate and some movement of the 2. A double bead posterior palatal seal
tissue of the soft palate. It serves as an anterior border 3. A butterfly posterior palatal seal
of PP'S. It extends laterally into pterygomaxillary notch 4. A butterfly posterior palatal seal with a bead on the
. It always occurs in soft palate. posterior limit
5. A butterfly posterior palatal seal with the hamular
Methods of eliciting anterior vibrating line:- notch area cut to half the depth of a #9 bur
Valsalva manouevre – ask patient to blow air 6. A posterior palatal seal constructed in reference to
gently through nose with nostrils closed with fingers. House's classification of palatal forms;
Ask patient to say 'ah' with short vigourous bursts.
PARAMETERS OF PPS
POSTERIOR VIBRATING LINE:- Imaginary line at PPS has specific characteristics with different
2, 5, 6
the junction of the aponeurosis of the tensor veli parameters :
8. Chen, M. Reliability of the Fovea Palatini for 11. Sheldon Winkler. Essentials of complete denture
Determining the Posterior Border of the Maxillary prosthodontics, second edition.
Denture. J Prosthet Dent 1980.43:133-137. 12. George A. Zarb, Charles L. Bolender. Boucher's
9. Firtell, D. et al. Posterior Palatal Seal Distortion Prosthodontic Treatment for Edentulous Patients, tenth
Related to Processing Temperature. J Prosthet edition.
Dent 1981.45:598-601. 13. Alexander R. Halperin, Gerald N. Graser: Mastering
10. Barco MT, et al. The effect of relining on the the art of complete dentures. Quintessence Publishing
accuracy and stability of maxillary complete Co., Inc. 1988.
dentures- An in vitro and in vivo study.
J. Prosthet Dent 1979.42: 17-22.