POSTERIOR

PALATAL SEAL
 POSTERIOR
PALATAL SEAL
Defined as an area of soft tissue
along the junction of the hard
and soft palate on which
pressure, within physiologic
limits of tissues, can be applied
by a denture prosthesis to aid in
its retention.
“POSTERIOR PALATAL SEAL” “POSTERIOR
VALVULAR SEAL” “POST DAM” “POSTERIOR
BORDER SEAL” “POSTERIOR PERIPHERAL SEAL”

“POSTERIOR PALATAL SEAL AREA”

 posterior border and the
The

posterior palatal seal are the

two, of the most critical areas for maxillary denture
prosthesis retention.
Posterior Peripheral
Extension

?
(Variations)
 The posterior valvular seal
takes on many various
shapes, size and locations in
patients with different
palatal forms.
 A- Clinical junction
of hard and soft palates
An effective posterior
SAGITTAL SECTION B- Ah- line
palatal seal design require
thorough knowledge of C- Anatomical junction

the anatomy of the area. of hard and soft palate.

DIFFERENT Class I
SOFT PALATE Class II
FORMS Class III
( HOUSE’S CLASSIFICATION )
 BASED UPON THE ANGLE THAT THE SOFT
PALATE MAKES WITH THE HARD PALATE,
THERE ARE THREE
CLASSIFICATION OF CLASSES OF SOFT
SOFT PALATE PALATE.
Class I : indicates a soft palate that is rather
horizontal as it extends posteriorly, with minimal
muscular activity.
Space available for posterior palatal seal is
favorable.
More than 5mm of movable tissue available;
Ideal for retention.
 Class III:Indicate the most acute contour in relation
to the hard palate.
CLASSIFICATION OF with a high V-shaped
Usually seen in persons
SOFT PALATE palatal vault.
As there is a greater elevation of the soft palatal
musculature in function, fewer millimeters separate
the anterior & posterior vibrating lines.
This results in a smaller area for the posterior
valvular seal.
less than 1mm of movable tissue available; Poor
retention
 Class II: designates those palatal contours
that lie somewhere
CLASSIFICATION OF between Class I & Class
III.
SOFT PALATE
SOFT PALATE
These classifications are determined when the
patient is in an upright position with the head
held erect.
The positional changes of the head and
physiologic functioning of the tongue can
influence soft palatal placement.
1-5mm of movable tissue available; Good retention
 PURPOSE OF THE
POSTERIOR PALATAL
SEAL
. To make the sunken distal border less noticeable to
the tongue

. Aids in compensating for dimensional changes

during curing
. The proximity of the tissue contact prevents food from getting
under the denture base

. Firm contact with the tissue of the soft palate reduces the
tendency to gag

. The thickened area provides added strength across the

posterior border of denture prosthesis

. To provide retention
POSTERIOR PALATAL SEAL
IS DIVIDED INTO TWO
SEPARATE BUT CONFLUENT
AREAS BASED UPON ANATOMIC
BOUNDARIES.
. POST PALATAL SEAL which extends medially from
one maxillary tuberosity to the other.

. Laterally, PTERYGOMAXILLARY SEAL which

extends through the pterygomaxillary notch
continuing for 3-4 mm anterolaterally
approximating the mucogingival junction.
 PROPER PLACEMENT OF
THE POSTERIOR PALATAL
SEAL
. Begins with the initial oral examination.
. The morphologic contours of the hard & soft
palates,
palates hamular notch regions and the integrity
and displacability of the mucosa and the
underlying tissues should be evaluated and noted.
. Observation and palpation are essential elements
in formulating the proper diagnosis and treatment
plan.
VIBRATING LINE
.
imaginary line across the posterior
The vibrating line is the

part of the palate marking the division between movable and

relatively immovable tissues of the soft palate and can

be identified when the movable tissues are active

. The vibrating line is not

just a line but an area.
. This area is used to form the posterior valvular seal.
 ANTERIOR
VIBRATING LINE
. The ANTERIOR VIBRATING LINE is an imaginary line
located at the junction of the attached tissues overlying the
hard palate and the moveable tissues of the immediately
adjacent soft palate.
. Can be located by VALSALVA MANEUVER,
MANEUVER which
requires that both nostrils be held firmly while the patient
blows gently through the nose. This will position the soft
palate inferiorly at its junction with the hard palate.
. Can be located also by visualizing the area while instructing
the patient to say “Ah” with short vigorous bursts.
POSTERIOR VIBRATING
LINE
. As the soft palate extends further posteriorly, the actions of the
palatal muscles become more exaggerated.
. The POSTERIOR VIBRATING LINE is an imaginary line
which represents the demarcation between that part of the soft
palate that has limited or shallow movement during function
and the remainder of the soft palate that is markedly displaced
during functional movements.
. Is visualized by instructing the patient to say “Ah” in short
bursts in unexaggerated fashion.
. The POSTERIOR VIBRATING LINE marks the most distal
extension of the denture base.
TECHNIQUES
Classified into Functional
Semifunctional
Empirical
 Winkler

HOW TO
RECORD ?
. Fabricate a well-adapted resin tray on the
master cast.
. The patient is seated upright.
. The PPS area is dried with a gauze.
. Palpate for hamular notch with a “T”
burnisher or a mouth mirror & mark with
an indelible pencil.
. The patient is asked to say ‘Ah’ in short bursts in an
unexaggerated fashion.
. Observe the movement of the soft palate and note the area
between shallow displacement and marked muscular activity.
. The posterior vibrating line is drawn which denote the posterior
extension of the denture prosthesis.
. The resin tray is inserted into the mouth and the lines are
transferred to the tray.
. The tray is returned to the cast to complete the transfer of the
posterior border.
. The palatal tissues anterior
to the posterior border are
palpated to determine their
compressibility in width
and depth.
 H.R.Kolb: Variable denture limiting structures of
edentulous mouth Part I. Maxillary Border Areas.
J Prosthet Dent. April 1966;16; 194-201
He concluded that an effective posterior palatal seal can
usually be achieved by displacement of the 2 to 5mm.
wide ribbon of soft palate mucosa which lies between the
junction of the hard and soft palates and the posterior
vibrating line. Additional seal may be obtained in front of
the junction of the hard and soft palates by displacement
of a cupid’s-bow shaped area of mucosa overlying
bilateral glandular masses. Thus, the posterior palatal seal
contacts both masticatory mucosa of the hard palate and
lining mucosa of the soft palate
. Anterior vibrating line is marked using
‘Valsalva maneuver’, and is transferred to
the master cast.
. A Kingsley Scraper is used to score the
cast.
. The tray is modified according to the
‘scored’ master cast and checked for any
gap between the tray and soft palate.
 FLUID WAX
TECHNIQUE
. All the conventional procedures are followed.
. The indelible transfer markings are recorded
on the final wash impression.
. Mouth temperature wax (e.g. Iowa wax,
wax
Korecta No.4 wax,
wax Adaptol)
Adaptol is used.
. The melted wax is painted onto the impression
surface within the outline of the seal area.
.
Once cooled below mouth temperature the
impression is carried to the mouth and
held in mouth under gentle pressure for 4-
6 minutes to allow time for the material to
flow.
.
The patient’s head is positioned forward
and downward and the tongue is firmly
positioned against the mandibular anterior
teeth during the procedure. (A properly
positioned maxillary tray handle can serve
as a substitute for the missing incisors).
. The impression tray should be
removed from the mouth and the wax
should be examined for uniform
contact throughout the posterior
palatal seal area.
. The wax should terminate in a feather
edge near the anterior vibrating line.
ARBITRARY SCRAPING
OF MASTER CAST

. Least accurate.
. Depend on
“Guesstimation”
 John M. Young and Roger D. Winland: Maxillary complete denture posterior palatal seal: Variations in size,
shape, and location.
J Proshet Dent.March 1973; 29; 256-261
John M. Young and Roger D. Winland did a study on various types of posterior palatal seals and its construction as
taught in different dental schools. A questionnaire was sent to the chairmen of the complete denture Prosthodontic
Departments of 53 dental schools and was asked to elaborate fully on their philosophy of posterior seal construction. The
Chairmen reported different configurations of their posterior palatal seals in different palatal forms. The construction
of a posterior palatal seal varied greatly and was developed as early as the final maxillary impression or as late as final
processing of the denture.
 1) Bead

2) Double Bead

3) Butterfly

4) Butterfly With Bead

5) Butterfly With Hamular Notch

Cut With Rtound Bur

1) According To House’s
Classification
 FAILURES IN
RECORDING
POSTERIOR
VALVULAR SEAL
. Under extension.
. Under post damming.
. Over post damming.
. Over extension.