How to place durable, comfortable soft relines

Soft reline material is used everyday in dentistry, the challenge lies in finding a sturdy, yet comfortable, material that resists odor buildup, is easy to apply, and can be cleaned by the patient without damage to the lining material. Affordability of any dental material or equipment is also a factor when deciding to implement a new product on the clinic.

Tokuyama has developed Sofreliner Tough to be a dependable, easy to use, hygienically friendly soft reline material. It is available in both Soft and Medium consistencies, depending on what type of case it is indicated for. Sofreliner Tough is excellent for relief and comfort from sharp sections of alveolar bone that have not been smoothed out, or where there are undercuts in the ridge that makes the hard acrylic of a denture uncomfortable and painful to some patients.

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In the author’s clinical experience, the Medium paste is used 90% of the time, with the Soft paste the other 10%. The Soft paste was used with immediate dentures, otherwise Medium provided plenty of support and comfort for patients.  Patients have expressed that the relined denture or partial is very comfortable. The author has found the material to be very resistant to odor and staining and the material retains its shape and flexibility over extended periods of time.

I feel that Sofreliner Tough is an excellent material for short to long-term relines, and encourage any clinician not fully satisfied with their current soft reline material to give Sofreliner Tough a try. 

Case Preparation(NOTE: You can scroll through the referenced figures in the main image queue above)

The patient, a 65-year-old man, had been referred to a periodontist for evaluation of his teeth, and due to severe bone loss the remaining maxillary teeth were deemed hopeless. Impressions were taken and an upper immediate complete denture was fabricated. The teeth were extracted and the patient came back several times over a two week period for evaluation of extraction sites and adjustment of the ICD. Two weeks after extractions, it was determined that the denture should have a soft liner placed to aid in retention and comfort.

Step One

Clean the denture well, and make sure it is dry (Fig 1).  Remove a little buccal vestibule acrylic with an acrylic bur (Fig. 2) to provide a smoother transition from acrylic to the reline material.

Step Two

The included Sofreliner Primer was placed on the denture (Fig. 3), and the solvent evaporated.

Step Three

A Sofreliner Tough Medium automix cartridge was loaded (Fig. 4) and the material extruded into the denture (Fig. 5). It was then placed into the patients’ mouth and the patient told to gently close down

Step Four

The denture was removed after five minutes, and the excess trimmed with a blade (Fig. 6). The reline material was adjusted with an acrylic bur as well as the included finishing attachments (Fig. 7) and delivered to the patient.