Role of the surface and volume of palatal relief chambers in retention of maxillary complete dentures.

Maxillary complete dentures were made with thickened denture bases for 10 patients. The retentive force was measured with a dynamometer. Acrylic resin was then removed with a bur from the mucosal side of the denture base, thus progressively enlarging the palatal chamber. Each enlargement was followed by measurement of the surface and volume of the chambers and the retention force of the dentures. The mean force of the denture retention diminished progressively from 57 N to 13.5 N as the chambers enlarged. An analysis of the results showed that the retention of maxillary complete dentures does not depend on the surface of the palatal chambers but is inversely proportionate to their volume.