title: Description of a Rat Palatal Acrylic Plate That Can Be Relined.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this article is to describe a method to construct an intraoral acrylic device that permits a reline material to be added to the inner surface of the palatal plate.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifteen 60-day-old adult female rats (Rattus Norvegicus Albinus Wistar), weighing 150 to 250 g were used for this study and allocated to three groups (n = 5): G1, animals wearing a heat-polymerized acrylic resin palatal plate (Lucitone 550) for 14 days; G2, animals wearing a heat-polymerized acrylic resin palatal plate (Lucitone 550) relined with Tokuyama Rebase II for 14 days; and G3, animals maintained under the same conditions as the experimental groups, without wearing palatal plates for 14 days. The manipulation of the animals followed the guidelines of the Brazilian College of Animal Experimentation, under the approval of the animal ethics committee of the State University of Ponta Grossa. The palatal plates covered the whole palate, were fixed in the molar region with light-cured resin, and were kept there for 14 days. The animals received a paste diet and water ad libitum. Before and after the trial period, the rats were weighed individually on a precision scale. Statistical analysis was performed using a two-way analysis of variance (α = 0.05) test for comparison of the animals' weight (g) at time 0 and after 14 days of using the palatal plate.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No statistical differences were observed regarding the weight of the animals among the experimental groups in the study.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The individual master impressions, the molar teeth coverage, and the method of cementation with nonadhesive composite resin provided good stability for the palatal plate showed in this study, not disturbing the eating habits and nutrition of the animals. This model seems reproducible, offering adequate histopathological evaluation. Differences in tissue morphology exist between the animals that used the palatal plate and the animals that did not use this device. Use of these palatal plates could clarify how prostheses bring changes in the palatal mucosa of users.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dentistry, State University of Ponta Grossa, Ponta Grossa, Paraná, Brazil.
authors.forename: Lissandra Matos Bról
authors.initials: LMB
authors.lastname: Meister
authors.affiliation: Department of Dentistry, State University of Ponta Grossa, Ponta Grossa, Paraná, Brazil.|University Center of Varzea Grande -UNIVAG, Várzea Grande, Mato Grosso, Brazil.
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bail
authors.affiliation: Department of Dentistry, State University of Ponta Grossa, Ponta Grossa, Paraná, Brazil.
authors.forename: Cláudia Viviane Guimarães
authors.initials: CVG
authors.lastname: Pellissari
authors.affiliation: Department of Dentistry, State University of Ponta Grossa, Ponta Grossa, Paraná, Brazil.
authors.forename: Manuella de Cássia Iglesias
authors.initials: MCI
authors.lastname: Ban
authors.affiliation: Department of Dentistry, State University of Ponta Grossa, Ponta Grossa, Paraná, Brazil.
authors.forename: Eduardo Bauml
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Campagnoli
authors.affiliation: Department of Dental Materials and Prosthodontics, Araraquara Dental School, São Paulo State University - UNESP, Araraquara, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Janaina Habib
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Jorge
authors.affiliation: Department of Dentistry, State University of Ponta Grossa, Ponta Grossa, Paraná, Brazil.
authors.forename: Nara Hellen
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Campanha
keywords: Hard reliner; Wistar rat; acrylic resin; palatal mucosa