Relationship between viscoelastic properties of soft denture liners and clinical efficacy

SummarySoft denture liners are applied for denture wearers who cannot tolerate a hard-based denture due to a thin and non-resilient oral mucosa and/or severe alveolar resorption. This material distributes and absorbs masticatory forces by means of the cushioning effect. Clinical success of the materials depends both on their viscoelastic properties and on durability. Acrylic resins and silicones are mainly available for permanent soft liners. The acrylic permanent soft liners demonstrate viscoelastic behavior while silicone permanent soft liners demonstrate elastic behavior. The improvement in masticatory function is greater in dentures lined with the acrylic materials than in those lined with silicone products. However, the acrylic materials exhibit a more marked change in viscoelastic properties and loss of cushioning effect over time than silicones. From the standpoint of durability, the silicones are preferred. It is important to understand viscoelastic properties and durability of each soft denture liner and to select the material according to the clinical situations and purposes. The ideal permanent soft liners have a relatively high value of loss tangent and storage modulus, and high durability. Further research is necessary to develop the ideal soft denture liner.