Fundamental knowledge and evidence regarding soft denture lining

Abstract

The number of elderly individuals is rapidly increasing in Japan, which has come to be known as a super aging society, while the percentage of edentulous patients is also high. Furthermore, patients with severe alveolar resorption, and/or a thin and non-resilient residual mucous membrane are on the rise. Soft denture liners that have a cushioning effect towards masticatory force are generally efficient for intractable cases. Several studies concerning the clinical efficiency of soft-lined dentures have been reported and application of a soft denture liner for reline recently became covered by the national insurance system in Japan as part of a medical fee revision in 2016. Types, material characteristics, and functional efficacy of soft denture liners, as well as methods of reline using soft denture liners are described in this paper.