Management of the mucolabial fold when developing impressions for complete dentures

All patients have loose nonkeratinized unattached mucosa in the anterior labial vestibule. The degree of possible distortion varies with each patient and with different recording techniques. Some distortion is possible in all patients. Common errors made when manipulating this tissue during impression procedures for complete dentures have been described. An effort to compensate for the errors in the finished denture will not correct them. Manipulation of the mucolabial fold must be done correctly during the border molding procedure. If not, the only recourse may be to reline the denture, and care should be taken not to repeat the errors.