Abstract
Purpose: For an appropriate diagnosis of removable denture patients, it is important to assess the biomechanical characteristics of denture supporting tissue. To establish a comprehensive assessment of biomechanical characteristics, the relationship between the elasticity and thickness of denture supporting tissue was examined.
Methods: Three parts of the hard palate of ten dentate subjects with healthy palatal mucosa were measured: lateral part of first molar, lateral part of palate, and median part of palate. The elasticity was measured with a tactile sensor and thickness with an ultrasonic thickness gage.
Results: Young's modulus was highest at the median part of the palate (2.4±0.8 MPa) and lowest at the lateral part of the palate (1.0±0.5 MPa). The thinnest part was the lateral part of the palate (1.2±0.3 mm) and the thickest part was the median part of the palate (2.8±0.7 mm). Young's modulus and the thickness of mucosa indicated a negative linear relation. However, values of Young's modulus were distributed widely where the mucosa is thin.
Conclusion: Values of Young's modulus were distributed widely where the mucosa is thin. Therefore Young's modulus cannot be estimated from only the thickness. To establish a comprehensive assessment of the biomechanical characteristics of denture supporting tissue, both elasticity and thickness should be evaluated simultaneously.
