Use of tissue conditioners and resilient liners.

The application of elastomer polymers in the prevention and treatment of chronic tissue irritation from dentures is an excellent alternative to the use of hard polymer resins and it is useful for preserving the health of the remaining denture-supporting tissues. Wider applications will be found in the future once the present shortcomings of the available materials are overcome, whether by improving these materials or by developing new ones. Specific uses for these materials have been outlined with an awareness that the readers may be able to add other applications to the list. At the same time, it is not the intent of this article to imply that the use of elastomer polymers is the panacea for all prosthodontic problems or that fundamental principles can be neglected.