Resilient liners in prosthetic dentistry: An update

The unique abilities of resilient liner materials to control the distribution of stress over the denture bearing mucosa and to provide a cushioning effect to the cyclic forces of mastication make them suitable for a wide range of applications in the field of prosthetic dentistry. There are three categories of resilient liners – tissue conditioners, plasticized acrylics and silicon elastomers. Tissue conditioners are short term resilient liners used as temporary reline materials for immediate dentures and ill-fitting dentures to facilitate tissue healing without interfering with the use of the prosthesis. Plasticized acrylics and silicon elastomers are long term resilient liner materials recommended as preventive measures in patients with low tolerance threshold to load transmitted by the prosthesis. However, the effects of the oral environment on some of the desirable properties of these liner materials limit their durability. Recent researches have been focussed on enhancing their serviceable life and hence, clinical efficacy.