UPPER COMPLETE DENTURE

Objectives: Retention of maxillary denture is obtained by many factors includingphysical and physiological factors. Effective seal is obtained easily at buccal and labial bordersof maxillarsy. However, it is difficult to obtain peripheral seal at posterior border of upper dentureas there is no soft tissue draping. Fovea palatinae which has been considered as reliableanatomical guide in unmutilated mouth. Fovea palatinae are close to vibrating line and are insoft tissue making them useful as reference points for posterior limit of the denture. Our aim toidentify the relative position of vibrating line with reference to the fovea palatinae for determiningposterior border of the upper complete denture. Setting: Department of Prosthodontics,Lahore Medical and Dental College, Lahore. Method: 160 subjects were included in this study.The patients fulfilling the inclusion criteria, Fovea palatinae was located and marked with theindelible pencil in the soft palate. Subjects were instructed to rehearse the “ah” sound in normal,unexaggerated way. Location of the vibrating line was marked with same indelible pencil.The position of the vibrating line whether in front, at or behind the fovea palatinae was noted.Results: Our study results shows in 72(45%) subjects vibrating line lies in front, 81(50.6%)subjects it lies at and 7(4.4%) subjects lies behind the fovea palatinae. Conclusion: Seal mustbe situated just anterior to the vibrating line and distal to hard palate at compressible tissue ofsoft palate.