Year : 2026

Volume : Volume 17

Issue : Issue 5

Address for correspondence :
Rasika Bansode
rasikabansode@yahoo.com

Abstract

Complete denture rehabilitation should restore not only the missing dentition but also the facial support lost after tooth loss and progressive alveolar resorption. In older completely edentulous patients, reduced soft-tissue volume and age-related decline in facial muscle tone may produce hollow or sunken cheeks that conventional denture contours do not adequately correct. Case report: A 74-year-old completely edentulous male presented with an unesthetic facial appearance associated with sunken cheeks. A conventional complete denture was planned with additional cheek support. The desired cheek contour was established clinically in wax during the trial stage. The wax form was transferred to a gypsum replica and used to fabricate a hollow cheek-plumper shell from a 2-mm hard thermoplastic resin sheet using a BIOSTAR® pressure moulding machine (SCHEU-DENTAL). The processed prosthesis incorporated a detachable magnetic retention mechanism. Result: The lightweight hollow cheek-plumper design provided the required facial fullness while avoiding the bulk of a solid cheek-plumper. The prosthesis restored cheek contour and produced a satisfactory postoperative facial appearance. Conclusion: A pressure-formed hollow thermoplastic cheek plumper is a conservative, individualized and potentially weight-saving option for completely edentulous patients with pronounced cheek hollowing. Establishing the contour clinically at the trial stage allows facial fullness to be customized before definitive processing