RPD Manual 11 - Removable Prosthodontics - Dalhousie University

Anatomy Tour - 8
! Soft Palate
! Vibrating Line
Critical posterior border of complete dentures and some partial dentures. The junction
of movable and immovable portions of the soft palate. If the denture terminates
posterior to this, movements of the soft palate cause it to dislodge and drop. If the
denture terminates anterior to this, on the hard palate, no seal is created, the denture is
unretentive and often uncomfortable.
! Within a group of six students:
! Have an instructor demonstrate how to find and mark the vibrating
line on one student, using an indelible stick
! Have an instructor draw an indelible line at an incorrect position on
one of the two students and a correct position on the other, and guess
which one is correct.
! Locate and draw the vibrating line on the remaining students, check
with instructor.
! Fovea Palatini
Bilateral indentations near the midline of the soft palate. Close to the vibrating line in
many individuals, but not accurate enough for using as a landmark for the posterior
border of the denture
! Median Palatine Raphe (midline palatine suture)
a. A bony midline structure, that can be raised and may require relief when covered
by a denture. Covered with thin mucosa and can ulcerate easily if impinged upon.
b. Occasionally a torus palatinus may be present, creating similar, often more
pronounced problems.
! Identify who has the most prominent raphe/torus ________________________
MANDIBLE:
! Pear Shaped Pad
A soft pad containing glandular tissue, with an inverted pear shape, which is the
posterior terminus of the mandibular complete dentures and Class I & II partial
dentures. The pear shaped pad is usually created from scarring after extractions, and is
therefore more easily seen in edentulous casts.
! Identify the retromolar area or pad on a partner, and have an instructor check.
! Identify the pear shaped pad on the distributed cast
! Buccal Shelf
The primary denture bearing area of a mandibular denture.
Between extraction sites of molars and the external oblique ridge. Does not tend to
resorb much.
! Identify on a partner.