title: Physical-chemical aspects of denture retention and stability: a review of the literature.
abstract: The physical-chemical mechanism of retention of dentures is a highly complex one. A review of the literature suggests in addition that retention also is a personal phenomenon under the control of numerous factors. Chief among the factors involved in the retention of a well-adapted denture are the forces related to the wetting of the denture and of the mucosal surfaces and the cohesive or intermolecular characteristics of the saliva. The ill-fitting denture most often results from an increase of variation in the denture-mucosa interspace, probably due to bone resorption rather than to any major changes in the physical-chemical factors.
mesh_terms: D001274:Atmospheric Pressure; D055598:Chemical Phenomena; D002627:Chemistry, Physical; D003781:Denture Retention; D003824:Denture, Complete; D006801:Humans; D008954:Models, Biological; D010159:Palate / Q000502:physiology; D012463:Saliva / Q000502:physiology; D013499:Surface Properties; D013500:Surface Tension