Techniques of hollow maxillary dentures: a literature review

Abstract

Clinically, the management of severy atrophic maxilla might represent a significant challenge for the attending dentists and surgeons to successfully perform and achieve fabricated complete maxillary dentures. Making a hollow denture base for these defects has also been previously reported as a valid approach that can be used to decrease the weight of the maxillary prosthesis. Many modalities have been proposed for these procedures with favorable outcomes, and variable events of disadvantages and adverse events. This literature review aims to collect enough evidence regarding the different reported techniques of the hollow maxillary denture, according to the different studies. Many techniques have been previously reported as using magnets, using implants, intramucosal inserts, springs, suction disks, lightweight dentures, and modified impression techniques. Many materials have been previously used with the 3D spacers of the lightweight denture techniques as dental stone, silicon putty, cellophane-wrapped asbestos, light-body coated gauze, modeling clay, salt, thermocol, caramel, and glycerine soap. Favoring one of the modalities over the other requires the inauguration of future studies with an adequate sample size to validate the efficacy and safety of these modalities. All of this information is furtherly discussed within the manuscript based on the collected evidence from the different studies in the literature.