POSTERIOR

PALATAL SEAL
IV BDS COMPLETE DENTURE LECTURE
DR. EAZHIL.R
 DEFINITION

The soft tissue area at or beyond the

junction of hard and soft palates on which
pressure, within physiologic limits can be
applied by a complete removable dental
prosthesis to aid in its retention.
 Relevance
Retention of maxillary complete denture
Peripheral seal in the posterior aspect
of the denture
 Functions

Retention of maxillary complete denture

- maintains contact with the anterior
portion of the soft palate
 Reduce the patient awareness of this
area with a subsequent reduction of
gag reflex
 Reduces food accumulation beneath
the posterior aspect of the denture
owing to proper utilization of tissue
compressibility
- no separation of the denture base &
soft palate during normal functional
movements
 Reduces patient discomfort when
contact occurs between the dorsum of
the tongue & the posterior end of the
denture base
 Compensates for the volumetric
shrinkage that occurs during
polymerization of methyl methacrylate
resin
 Creates a partial vacuum beneath the
maxillary denture
- activated only when horizontal forces
are directed against the denture base
Anatomic and Physiologic Considerations
 Divisions of posterior palatal seal
A - Pterygomaxillary seal -
laterally extends through the
pterygomaxillary notch
continuing 3-4mm
anterolaterally approximating
the mucogingival junction
B - Postpalatal seal - Medially
from one tuberosity to the
other

Impressions in
Dr. Eazhil. R Complete Denture
 Pterygomaxillary seal

The pterygomaxillary seal

occupies the entire width
of the pterygomaxillary
notch, which is band of
loose connective tissue
lying between pterygoid
hamulus and maxillary
tuberosity
 Distolateral termination of
denture base
Posterior palatal seal must
be placed through the
centre of deep part of
hamular notch
 fovea palatini
There are two glandular
openings within the tissues
of the posterior portion of
the hard palate, usually
lying on either side of the
midline.
The fovea are ductal
openings into which the
ducts of other palatal
mucous glands drain.
 According to Lye(JPD 1975), the fovea palatini are located, on
average, 1.31 mm anterior to the anterior vibrating line.
Chen(JPD 1980), however, found that a majority of the subjects
in his investigation had fovea that was located either on or
behind the anterior vibrating line.
Therefore, the position of the fovea does not represent the
junction of the hard and soft palates.
The fovea palatini should be used only as guidelines to the
placement of the posterior palatal seal.
 Vibrating line
An imaginary line across the posterior part of the
palate marking the division between the movable
and immovable tissues of the soft palate. This can
be identified when the movable tissues are in
function. (GPT-8)

The posterior palatal seal area lies between the

anterior vibrating line and posterior vibrating line.
 Anterior vibrating line
An imaginary line
located at the junction
of the attached tissues
overlying the hard
palate and the movable
tissues of the
immediately adjacent
soft palate
 One way to locate the
anterior vibrating line is to
have the patient perform the
Valsalva maneuver, which
requires that both nostrils
be held firmly while the
patient blows gently
through the nose. This will
position the soft palate
inferiorly at its junction
with the hard palate.
 The anterior vibrating line can
also be approximated by
visualizing the area while
instructing the patient to say
ah with short vigorous bursts.
Due to the projection of the
posterior nasal spine, the
anterior vibrating line is not a
straight line between both
hamular processes.
Always on soft palatal tissues
 POSTERIOR VIBRATING LINE
An imaginary line at the junction of the
aponeurosis of the tensor veli palatini
muscle and the muscular portion of the
soft palate
Represents demarcation between the
part of the soft palate that has limited or
shallow movement during function and
remainder of the soft palate that is
markedly displaced during functional
movements
The posterior vibrating line is
visualized by instructing the
patient to say ah in short
bursts in a normal,
unexaggerated fashion.

The posterior vibrating line

marks the most distal
extension of the denture base.
 Classification of Soft Palate
Proposed by M. M. House

Class I
Class II
Class III

Three classes of soft palate configuration are commonly used. Based on the
angle that the soft palate makes with the hard palate. The more acute the angle
of the soft palate in relation to the hard palate, more the muscle activity. Thus
more the area that will be displaced and less the area that will be covered by
the denture base.
Class - I
A rather horizontal soft palate
extending posteriorly with
minimal muscular activity.
More than 5mm of movable
tissue available for post
damming.
Allows for a wider PPS, which
is not very deep.
Excellent retention is possible
Class - II
Soft palate is less
horizontal than Class-I it
extends posteriorly at a
small angle.
1-5 mm of movable tissue
available for PPS.
PPS is usually thicker and
is placed deeper.
Good retention can
usually be attained.
Class III
The most acute contour in
relation to the hard palate.
Usually seen in conjunction
with a high V shaped palatal
vault.
As there is greater elevation of
the soft palate during function
the ant & post vibrating lines
are very close.
There is usually less than 1mm
of movable tissue available for
post damming.
The seal is usually deeper than
either Class-I or Class - II.
The rationale for the placement of a seal in the
impression tray is as follows:
To establish positive contact posteriorly to prevent
the final impression materials from sliding down
the pharynx.
To serve as a guide for positioning the impression
tray.
To create slight displacement of the soft palate.
To determine if adequate retention and seal of the
potential denture border is present.
 Techniques

There are three primary techniques

a) Conventional approach.
b) Fluid wax technique.
c) Arbitrary scraping of the master cast.
 CONVENTIONAL APPROACH
Well-adapted shellac or
resin special tray is kept
ready.
Patient is seated in an
upright position.
Patient is instructed to
rinse mouth with an
astringent mouthwash to
remove stringy saliva.
A T burnisher or a
mouth mirror is used to
palpate for the hamular
processes.
 Locating the notch with an
instrument is necessary, as
there are times when small
depressions in the residual
alveolar ridge may
resemble the hamular
notch.
A line is placed through
the notch and extended 3-
4 mm Antero-lateral to the
tuberosity approximating
the mucogingival junction.
The same procedure is
repeated on the other side
completing the pterygo-
maxillary seal.
 The patient is asked to say ah
in an unexaggerated manner
while observing and
demarcating the junction of the
movement of the soft palate.
With an indelible pencil the
posterior vibrating line is
marked.
Extending it laterally to join the
pterygo maxillary seal will
yield the posterior extension of
the denture.
 The special tray is placed
into the mouth and seated
firmly in place to transfer the
markings on to it.
The tray is then returned to
the master cast to transfer the
markings. Any over
extensions of the tray are
corrected at this stage.
 Now the anterior vibrating line is noted and
marked.
It can be visualized by making the patient
perform the Valsalva maneuver.
The line is marked with an indelible pencil and
transferred to the master cast in a similar
manner. The visual outline is in the shape of
Cupids bow. The area in b/w the vibrating lines
is narrowest at mid palatal region.
The anterior & posterior vibrating lines are
confluent in the region of the pterygo maxillary
seal. The cast is now scored with a Kingsley
scraper.
 The deepest areas of the seal are on either side of
the midline a third of the distance anteriorly
from the posterior vibrating line.
This is scraped to a depth of 1-1.5 mm, the
region of the midpalatal raphe should be shallow
only about 0.5 -1.0 mm.
From this depth the scoring is progressively
reduced until it feathers out on either side of the
vibrating line.
A failure to taper the seal posteriorly will result
in tissue irritation.
The recommended witdth and depth of
posterior palatal seal area

Bernard Levin
 The shellac tray is now replaced on the
moistened cast, reheated & readapted to conform
to the scored palatal seal area.
This is then tried in the mouth to evaluate the
retentive qualities of the trial base. The patient is
then instructed to say ah in a short
unexaggerated manner.
If no space is noted b/w the trial base and the
soft palate then the posterior seal created has
been adequate.
If a resin tray has been used then small amounts
of resin can be added after the cast has been
scored and a suitable separating media has been
applied.
 Advantages of placing the seal in the trial base.
The trial base will be more retentive and thus can
produce more accurate maxillomandibular records.
Lets the patient experience the retentive qualities
of the trial base, giving them psychologic security
of knowing that retention wil not be a problem in
the completed prosthesis
Helps the dentist judge the retentive qualities of
the finished denture.
The new denture wearer will be able to realize the
posterior extent of the denture.
 Disadvantages of the conventional
approach
Its is not a physiologic technique and
therefore depends upon the accurate transfer
of the vibrating lines and careful scraping of
the cast.
The potential for over compression of the
tissues is great.
 FLUID WAX TECHNIQUE
All procedures for
regarding the location
and transfer of the
marking of the
vibrating lines
delineated under the
conventional approach
is performed.
Impressions are made
(preferably with ZoE
or plaster.)
 Types of waxes used
Iowa wax:.white (Dr.Earl S Smith)
Korecta wax no:4. orange (Dr.O.C.Applegate)
H-L physiologic wax. : yellow white
(C.S.Harkins)
Adaptol : green (Nathan G Kaye)
All these waxes are designed to flow at room
temperature
 The melted wax is painted
onto the impression
surface within the outlines
of the seal area.
A little excess is added and
allowed to cool to below
mouth temperature to
increase its consistency
and make it more resistant
to flow.
The impression is then
held in the mouth under
gentle pressure for 4-6
mins. The position of the
head and tongue are of
particular importance.
 The soft palate should be
recorded in its most
functionally depressed
position
The maximum depression
(downward & forward
position) of the soft palate
will be recorded when the
Frankfort horizontal plane is
30 below the horizontal and
the tongue is held firmly
against the mandibular
incisor teeth.
 The wax will appear
glossy if tissue contact has
been made, it will appear
dull otherwise, if dull then
more wax is to be added
and the procedure had to
be repeated again.
Any excess wax is cut off
with a hot scalpel.
 It has to be noted that
the flow has been
adequate and the wax
terminates in a
featheredge and not a
butt joint
 Advantages
A physiologic technique displacing the
tissues within their phsiologically
acceptable limits.
Over compression of the tissues is avoided.
Posterior palatal seal incorporated in the
trial denture base for added retention.
Mechanical scraping of the cast is avoided.
 Disadvantages
More time is needed during the impression
procedure.
Difficulty in handling materials and added
care during the boxing procedure.
 ARBITRARY SCRAPING OF THE MASTER
CAST
Relies on the dentists recollection of the palatal
configuration and tissue compressibility.
In order to guesstimate the vibrating lines and
the depth to which the cast should be scraped.
This is the least accurate and unphysiologic of all
the technique and it leaves most to chance at the
denture insertion appointment.
 TROUBLE SHOOTING
They can be of the following variety:
Under extensions
Over extensions
Under postdamming
Over postdamming
Under extension
Due to dentist using the fovea palatine as a landmark for
the posterior border of the denture.
The patient who inform the dentist that they are gaggers,
dentist unsure of his technique, lacks the understanding of
properly extended PPS.
Failure of dentist to carefully examine the hard & soft
palate.
Due to overzealous trimming by the lab technician.
This will lead to Loss of retention the patient will
experience Nausea due to tickling effect and since it is
easily detected by the tongue, there is a decrease in denture
tolerance
Overextension
Due to the practitioners attempt to maximize the
retentive qualities of the denture.
Inadvertently violates the physiologic boundaries.
Usually extensions are in small areas and not the
entire length.
The patient usually complains that the
swallowing is painful and difficult. There might
also be small ulcerations in the region of the soft
palate.
In case the hamuli has been covered the patient
will suffer excruciating pain.
Under Post damming
Mostly due to recording the tissues
when the mouth was wide open during the final
impression. The Ptreygomandibular fold becomes
taut, thus during any other position there is a space
between the denture base and the tissues.
This can be diagnosed by placing the wet
denture base into the mouth and slowly pressing in
the mid palate region until it is firmly seated - air
bubbles are seen escaping from the distal border,
at the point the denture base is underpostdammed .
Correction made by further scraping the cast
and readapting the trial base if the conventional
approach is used.
 Over Post Damming
In this case the master cast is usually
scraped more than needed and the posterior
palatal seal displaces too much tissue. The
trial base gets displaced inferiorly in the
posterior border if significant over
damming has been done especially in the
pterygo maxillary seal area.
Causes tissue irritation
This can be selectively reduced followed by
pumicing.
 Adding a Posterior Palatal Seal to an Existing
Denture

There are times when a completed denture is deficient

in the posterior palatal seal area. The deficiency may
be either in depth or in length of the denture base, or in
both. However, prior to taking any corrective measures,
the dentist should evaluate the entire prosthesis.

If the correct aesthetic and phonetic requirements have

been fulfilled, the proper vertical dimension and centric
relation positions established, and the remaining
denture borders correctly extended, then one should
undertake the correction of the posterior seal area.
 Fluid Wax Moghadam & Scandrett
Green stick modeling compound
Caroll & Shaffer
Both Lauciello & Conte