Border Molding

Shaping borders of
impression tray
Functional or manual
manipulation of tissues
Duplicates contour & size
of vestibule
 Border Molding

Performed with
Thermoplastic modeling
compound
Waxes
Impression materials
 Tray Wax Spacer
Remains in place during border
molding procedures
 Custom Tray

Comfortable
2-3 mm from vestibule
Dry periphery of tray
(Compound will not
stick to tray otherwise)
 Heating Compound
Use Bunsen Burner
not Hanau Torch
Warm until it starts
to droop
Do not overheat if
catches fire or boils,
it will not mold
properly
 Compound Application

Apply over
periphery of tray, in
a thickness just
slightly narrower
than the compound
stick
 Re-soften After Application

Flame with a hand

torch until all seams
or sharp contours
have disappeared
Do not melt wax
spacer inside tray
 Preventing Slumping
Hold the tray upside down so
that compound droops toward
the depth of the vestibule
 Tempering Compound
Temper in a water bath (135-140F)
for several seconds
Prevent burning
Hot water bath will keep compound
soft for an extended period
 Wax Spacer
Keep out of hot water bath
to prevent melting
Difficult to replace tray
intraorally in the same
position
Results in uneven border
molding
 Prepare Patient

Patient seated, head

against headrest, mouth
open & relaxed
If patient opens wide,
commisures constrict,
limiting access
Inserting the Custom Tray

Place intraorally by
rotating into place
Mold by pulling on
the cheeks, lips
Have patient make
functional
movements
 After Removal

Chill in cold water

Trim excess over wax
spacer or external
material that is thicker
than 4-5 mm
Clean debris from tray
Assessing Peripheral Role
Proper thickness
No overlap
 Burnthrough

Difficult to see (opaque)

Relieve tray
 After Trimming

If border is sharp or
has seams, re-flame,
temper and readapt
intraorally
Repeat until
periphery is
completed
 Border Molding

Dont reduce border molding

prior to final impression if:
Modern low viscosity materials
are used
Sufficient relief (spacer + holes)
Maxilla - Seating the Tray

Seat tray firmly in mid-palatal

area during border molding
procedures
 Maxilla - Contouring

Mold posterior
buccal by pulling
cheek down &
forward with
slight circular
movement
 Functional Movements
Patient moves mandible side to
side & opens wide
Molds the retrozygomal area
Allows for movement of coronoid
process
Prevents impingement of
pterygomandibular raphe
Maxilla - Labial Frenum

Pull lip outward & downward

Do not pull to one side
Maxilla - Labial Frenum

Labial frenum
should be narrow
Buccal frena
usually broader,
V-shaped
Maxilla - Posterior Border

Add compound across the top of

the tray (not at the edge)
Maxilla - Posterior Border
Terminates at vibrating line and
hamular notches
Mark with an indelible stick
Insert tray & check visually
Evaluating Border Molding
Relatively symmetrical
Evaluating Maxillary Border
Molding
Retentive
 Mandible
More difficult
Changing position of the floor
of the mouth
Posterior Buccal Areas
Pull cheek upward while holding
tray in place
Have patient suck cheeks inward
while holding tray in place
 Retromolar Pad
Should be covered (at least
partially) to provide a seal and
comfort to the patient
 External Oblique Ridge

Dont extend past EOR

Palpate cheek at angle
of the mandible
Smooth transition
between mandible &
border - not palpable
 Buccal Extension
Look for fold in vestibule
 Masseter Muscle
Distal buccal extension
Patient closes against force
Activates the masseter, which
will displace the compound
Mandibular Frenal Attachments
Labial frenum is narrow
pull lip straight up,
not as exaggerated as maxilla
Buccal frena broad & V-shaped
Posterior Lingual Areas
Have patient touch their tongue
to the corners of the mouth, to
the palate and stick their tongue
out of their mouth
Posterior Lingual Areas
An S shaped lingual flange
commonly results in posterior
lingual area
 Retromylohyoid Space
Distolingual border can
extend
Straight down from the
retromolar pads
Anteriorly to varying
degrees
Almost never angles
posteriorly from
retromolar pads
 Posterior Lingual Areas
X-section through
Lower border at or Mandibular ridge
slightly below in 2nd Molar region
mylohyoid ridge
but not deeply into
Buccal
the undercut below
the ridge, Mylohyoid
Ridge
Minimizes,
abrasion and Attachments
discomfort To Hyoid
Posterior Lingual Areas

Denture should not lift with

normal tongue movements
 Anterior Lingual
Patient lifts tongue to palate, to
corners of mouth and sticks
tongue out
Hold tray in place denture
should not lift with normal
tongue movement