When the mandibular ridge is atrophic, stabilizing the denture base to record centric can be difficult if there are no buccal flanges. By adding small amounts of impression compound in the bicuspid/molar region bilaterally, finger rests can be created.

Drs. Toby Talbot and Ken Hemmings of the Eastman Dental Hospital, London, England (J Prosthet Dent 1993;349-50) demonstrated the technique. Two small amounts of impression compound are heated in a water bath at 58 degrees Fahrenheit, they are then run through a flame to become sticky and adapted to the buccal edge of the denture in the bicuspid/molar region. Shaping is done between the finger and thumb to create the shelves and the compound is allowed to air dry.

They point out that in cases of a small mouth, tight lip, or severely atrophic ridge, the fingers must be removed just before closure to avoid displacing the denture distally.