A hollow complete lower denture

Raleigh A. Holt, Jr., D.M.D. *

Emory University, School of Dentistry, Atlanta, Ga.

evere atrophy in one or both of the alveolar

residual ridges of the complete denture patient
presents difficult restorative problems. The advantage of a hollow mandibular denture for severly
resorbed residual aveolar ridges is the reduction of
excessive weight of acrylic resin which normally
replaces lost alveolar ridge in the interridge space of
the denture wearer.
In order to construct a hollow-bulb denture, the
and laboratory
procedures
customary clinical
are accomplished by investing the denture in
a flask.
Fig. 1. Wax shim has been placed over the denture
teeth.

TECHNIQUE
The complete lower wax denture is boiled out, and
the flask is separated in the usual manner. The
hollow denture is constructed using two split dental
flasks as follows:
1. Place a wax shim (consisting of two layers of
baseplate wax) over the denture teeth area
(Fig. 1).
2. Place the top half of a second split flask over the
wax shimmed lower half of the flask.
3. Pour stone into the flask through the open hole
(Figs. 2 and 3).
4. Boil out the wax shim.
5. Pack in acrylic resin, process, and separate
(Fig. 4).
6. Place two layers of baseplate wax over the
residual ridge in the top half of the original flask
(Fig. 5).
7. Place Insta-moldt between the wax shim and
the processed acrylic resin on the residual ridge area
(Fig. 6).
8. Notch the processed acrylic resin and the wax
shim for keying when the two halves are put together
later (Fig. 7).
9. Boil out the wax shim, pack, and process and
separate the flask.
10. Remove the Insta-mold. Fuse the two result-

Fig. 2. Flask with open hole is placed over the lower half
of the flask.

*Student in Graduate Program of Removable Prosthodontics.

iNobilium, Inc. Chicago, IL.

Fig. 3. Stone has been poured into the flask.

452

0022~3913/811040452

APRIL 1981

VOLUME

45

NUMBER

+ 03$00.30/00

1981 The

C. v.

Mosby CO.

HOLLOW

COMPLETE

LOWER

DENTURE

Fig. 4. Wax shim has been replaced with acrylic resin.

Fig. 5. Wax shim has been placed over the residual ridge.

Fig. 6. Insta-mold in place over the processed acrylic resin.

THE JOURNAL

OF PROSTHETIC

DENTISTRY

453

Fig. 9. Acrylic resin parts prepared for fusing.

7. Acrylic resin is keyed to allow accurate assembly

of parts.

Fig.

Fig.

8. Acrylic resin parts and Insta-mold

ing acrylic resin parts together

resin (Figs. 8 and 9).
11. Test the denture
for
placing it in water. Note that
The denture is finished and
to the patient.

in place.

with cold-cure

acrylic

a complete
seal by
it floats (Fig. 10).
ready to be delivered

SUMMARY
A technique was described that greatly reduces the
weight of an exceptionally
heavy lower denture by as
much as 25%. When weight of a denture may be a

454

Fig.

10. Denture is floated in water to test for leakage.

contributing
factor
patients problem,
considered.

to the successful resolution of a

the hollow denture should be

Reprint requeststo:
RALEIGH
A. HOLT, JR.
UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA
COLLEGE OF DENTISTRY
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK 73190
DR.

APRIL 1981

VOLUME

45

NUMBER