The dentist has always been concerned with equalizing the vertical forces that are delivered by the occlusal surfaces of the teeth and that are contracted by the vault and ridges. It has ignored the importance of the horizontal forces exerted on the polished or external surface of the denture. But, the polished or external surface that is in contact with the cheeks, lips, and tongue, is as large as or larger than the impression and occlusal surface combined, depending on the anatomic structure.
Especially, where more of the ridge has been lost, the more the denture stability and retention is dependant on the polished or external surface than on the impression surface.,
Therefore, in this article we disscued the neutral zone and introduced the modified technique for the formation of the polished surface by the use of the tissue conditoner.
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