Overdenture retention of four resilient liners over an implant bar

Resilient denture liners offer an alternative method of designing implant-retained overdentures. Space is provided in the overdenture to envelop the implant bar with a resilient liner to be applied chairside or processed in the laboratory. The degree of retention may vary and these materials change over time.

This study evaluated the retention on an implant/bar prosthesis with overdentures lined with 4 resilient denture lining materials, after cyclic insertion and removal over a simulated 1.5-year period.

Four implants were placed in a mandibular edentulous cast and a gold bar superstructure was made. Overdentures were processed in Lucitone-199 and Tokuyama, Luci-Sof, Molloplast-B, and PermaSoft (with and without sealer) lining materials, cured according to manufacturers' instructions. Each of 5 overdentures contained each liner and were cycled 2740 times (simulating 1.5 years of service at 5 insertions daily) in 37 degrees C water in an Instron at 20 cm/min. Insertion and retention force were measured.

The 3 silicone rubber liners were 3 to 5 times more retentive than the plasticized acrylic liner initially. After cycling, Tokuyama soft liner (autopolymerized silicone) gained 14% retention, Luci-Sof (heat-cured silicone) gained 8%, Molloplast-B (heat-cured silicone) lost 12%, whereas PermaSoft (autopolymerized plasticized acrylic) with sealer lost 43%, and without sealer lost 60%. PermaSoft lining material also chafed and crumbled after cycling and was significantly less retentive in most statistical comparisons.

All the silicone-based resilient liners retained the overdentures well. The plasticized acrylic was less retentive initially, and lost significant retention after 2740 cycles, compared with silicone-based resilient liners.