Microwave processing of permanent soft denture liners

Abstract

This article describes a technique of processing a resilient soft denture liner using microwave irradiation. The technique employs a specially designed flask that can be heated in a microwave oven. The flask can be either fabricated using commonly available dental laboratory materials or purchased commercially. The microwave polymerization of the resilient soft denture liner reduces the potential warpage of the denture base that can occur during the conventional process of boiling in water for 2 hours. Additionally, microwave irradiation reduces processing time to less than 1 hour, allowing the dentist the opportunity to reline a patient's denture in a single visit. The technique is simple and requires no extensive or elaborate dental laboratory equipment.