B. Chuchulska*, S. Yankov**, D. Ivanova*,G. Todorov***

*Senior Assistant Professor – Department of Prosthetic Dental Medicine, Faculty of Dental Medicine, Medical University – Plovdiv

**Assistant Professor – Department of Prosthetic Dental Medicine, Faculty of Dental Medicine, Medical University – Plovdiv

*** Head of Department of Prosthetic Dental Medicine, Faculty of Dental Medicine, Medical University – Plovdiv

Acrylic dentures are not always well accepted by the patients. The thermoplastic materials are method of choice in these cases.

Aim: Fabrication of dentures with thermoplastic materials (TPM) in cases of partial and full edentulous jaws.

Materials and methods: The dentures fabricated with TPM are flexible and elastic, with solid and compact structure, tough and stable and they are a match for the acrylic dentures. The dentures fabricated from flexible materials possess the following advantages:

• No residual monomer;

• Eliminate the preconditions for allergic reactions;

• Dentures lie well on the denture bearing area;

• No polymerization shrinkage;

• The flexible resin acts as a shock-absorber and provides softer transmission of the masticatory forces.

Results and discussion: TPM are not a product of chemical reaction during the laboratory stage. They are submitted to physical changes during heating, they are being liquefied and injected under pressure in a preheated flask.

Conclusion: They have high aesthetic values, offered in different shades, transfer the occlusal load much softer, short adaptation period and they are well accepted by the patients.

Keywords: thermoplastic materials, dentures, flexible, elastic