Capillary Action Around Dental Structures

Abstract

The capillary action of saliva occurs in the crevices around and between teeth and around dental restorations. Marginal leakage and denture retention caused by a thin film of saliva are aspects of capillary phenomena. Liquids in capillaries isolated from a reservoir showed an increase in surface tension and lower vapor pressure. The strength of thin films of human saliva was independent of ambient pressure.