Abstract
The retention of maxillary complete dentures can be affected by physical factors such as adhesion, cohesion, interfacial surface tension and atmospheric pressure. These physical factors operate in the fluid film between the denture base and the mucosa. Denture adhesives change the viscosity of the intervening saliva in the retention of complete dentures. Several reports have shown that denture adhesives improve denture retention. Due to the increase of dry mouth, the need for denture adhesives is increasing. In this paper, physical factors concerning upper complete denture retention and the role of denture adhesives are reviewed.
