Ch 8

The Posterior Palatal Seal

posterior palatal seal area is stated in the “Glossary of Prosthodontic Terms” as the soft
tissues along the junction of the hard and soft palates on which pressure within the
physiologic limits of the tissues can be applied by a denture to aid in the retention of the
denture.”
Horizontal and lateral torquing is resistant by adequate posterior palatal seal.
The function of the posterior palatal seal in the completed maxillary prosthesis is to maintain
contact with the anterior portion of the soft palate (the tissues that undergo shallow
displacement) during functional movements of the stomatognathic system (that is,
mastication, deglutition, and phonation). Therefore, the primary purpose of the posterior
palatal seal is the retention of the maxillary denture.

ANATOMIC AND PHYSIOLOGIC CONSIDERATIONS

The fovea are ductal openings into which the

ducts of other palatal mucous glands drain.
Located anterior to the anterior vibrating line.
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.
exact position of the hamular process (located 2 to 4
mm posteromedial to the distal limit of the maxillary
residual ridge), this will affect the length and
direction of the pterygomaxillary seal
the hamular processes should never be covered by
the denture (Thin layer of mucosal membrane).

The median palatal raphe, which overlies the medial palatal suture,
contains little or no submucosa and will tolerate little compression.
According to Heartwell and Rahn, this band of tissue is not meant to be
compressed; rather it should receive a slight amount of relief if it is
prominent
 ANTERIOR AND POSTERIOR VIBRATING LINES

The anterior vibrating line can be located with (Valsalva maneuver), which requires that both nostrils be held
firmly while the patient blows gently through the nose OR with visualizing of the anterior and posterior vibrating
line while instructing the patient to say “ah " with short vigorous bursts.

CLASSIFICATION OF SOFT PALATES

TECHNIQUES
The rationale for the placement of a seal in the impression tray is as follows:
1. To establish positive contact posteriorly to prevent the final impression material from sliding down the
pharynx
2. To serve as a guide for positioning the impression tray, especially if a shim has been used within the tray
to establish the borders
3. To create slight displacement of the soft palate
4. To determine if adequate retention and seal of the potential denture border is present
Conventional Approach
1- The patient seated in upright position
2- The patient rinse with astringent mouthwash to remove stringy saliva that might prevent clear
transfer marking.
3- The posterior palatal area is then dried with Gauze.
4- “T” burnisher or a mouth mirror is used to palpate for the hamular processes Once located, they
should be marked with an indelible pencil (3-4 mm anterolateral to the tuberosity) or noted visually
to ensure that they are not covered by the denture. The instrument (“T” burnisher or mouth mirror) is
then placed along the posterior angle of the tuberosity until it drops into the pterygomaxillary notch
5- Patient is asked to say (ah) in short term in short bursts in an unexaggerated fashion. indelible pencil
is used to outline the posterior vibrating line by connecting the line through the pterygomaxillary seal
with the post palatal seal.
6- The resin or shellac tray is then inserted into the mouth and seated to place, during removal the
indelible lines should have transferred to the tray.
7- The try is returned to the master cast to complete the transfer of the posterior border, the visual
outline is in the shape of (cupid's bow)
8- Kingsley scraper is used to score the cast (1- 1.5 mm a depth). area of median palatal raphe (0.5-
1mm)
9- Shellac tray can be used (must be no separation of the base and tissue is noted).
10- Resin tray can be used and there are several advantages to placing the seal in the trial base:
1. The trial base will be more retentive; this can produce more accurate maxillomandibular records.
2. Patients will be able to experience the retentive qualities of the trial base, giving them
the psychologic security of knowing that retention will not be a problem in the completed prosthesis.
3. The practitioner will be able to determine the retentive qualities of the finished denture, leaving nothing to
chance at the insertion appointment.
4. the new denture wearer will be able to realize the posterior extent of the denture.
Disadvantages of the conventional approach:
1- It is not physiologic technique depends on accurate transfer of the vibrating lines and careful
scraping of the cast
2- The potential for overcomperssion of the tissues is great

Fluid Wax Technique

1- The anterior and posterior vibrating lines are transferred to the final impression.
2- Zinc oxide and eugenol or plaster are preferred over the elastic impression materials because they set
rigid also wax will not adhere to elastic materials

3- After 4-6 min the impression try is removed from the mouth and the wax examined for uniform
contact on the posterior palatal seal area. If the wax is dull the tissue contact has not established if the
wax glossy appearance the tissue has been contacted
4- Final impression with physiologic posterior palatal seal is boxed and poured in stone.
Advantages of the Fluid Wax Tecnique:
1- it is physiologic technique displacing tissues within acceptable limits
2- overcompression of tissue is avoided
3- posterior palatal seal is incorporated into the trial denture base for add retention
4- mechanical scraping of the cast is avoided
Disadvantages of the Fluid Wax Tecnique:
1- more time during impression appointment
2- difficulty in handling the materials and add care during the boxing procedure
TROUBLESHOOTING
Underextension
the most common cause for failure of the seal and it caused by:
1- use of fovea palatini as landmark for terminating the denture base.
2- Gagger patient
3- Failure to examine the hard and soft palates
4- Ask the technician to trim and polish the processed denture borders.
Underpostdamming
This deficiency is not noticed until the denture is completed. It results of recording the tissue when the
mouth was wide open during the final impression. The correction if its conventional approach is by further
scraping the cast and readapting the trial base or by adding more wax and reminding the patient to refrain
from opening the mouth so wide if its fluid wax technique
Overpostdamming
It caused if the master cast was scraped too aggressively and the posterior palatal seal displaced too much
tissue. It appear as tissue irritation across the posterior palatal region. Selective reduction of the denture
border will resolve the problem
Overextension
The patient will compline that swallowing is painful and difficult. Small ulcerated areas in the region of the
soft palate will be evident. By marking the lesion with an indelible pencil and transferring it to the denture
base, the precise position of the overextension can be removed with a bur and then carefully repolished.

Adding a Posterior Palatal Seal to an Existing Denture

fluid wax technique All of the steps outlined for locating, marking, and placing the wax in the seal area are
followed, except that this time the wax is placed on the processed denture base.
Light cured resin can be. utilized for the intra oral correction of the posterior palatal seal. This material
allows for accurate placement of the seal by adding material selectively, like the fluid wax technique, curing
it in stages. The only disadvantage is the cost of the curing unit. but There are several advantages to this
technique.
1. No exothermic reaction to irritate the oral
tissues
2. Minimal volumetric shrinkage during curing
3. More closely approximates a physiologic
technique
4. Can be performed with relatively little
chair time