Advances in Soft Denture Liners: An Update

Soft denture liners are used in complete and partial removable dentures to distribute functional loads homogeneously on the denture-bearing tissues. These materials are recommended in cases of irregular bone resorption, bony undercuts, thin atrophic mucosa, immediate prosthesis, healing after implant placement, and for patients with bruxism and xerostomia. The resilient lining materials can be categorized as plasticized acrylic resins or silicone elastomers. The plasticized acrylic resin comprises of acrylic polymers and copolymers, a liquid containing an acrylic monomer and plasticisers, such as ethyl alcohol and/or ethyl acetate responsible for preserving the material softness. The silicone elastomers, consisting of dimethylsiloxane polymers, with a chemical composition similar to that of the silicone impression materials devoid of leachable plasticisers, retain their elastic properties for prolonged periods. Most of the currently available materials have several disadvantages, including color stability, long-term resiliency, abrasion resistance, bond strength and porosity. Several modifications have been done recently to overcome of these disadvantages of the soft liners. The current review summarizes the recent developments in soft liners.