dental appliances , including dentures , which have flange extensions attached through elastically hinged sections provide added stability and security during mastication by redistributing forces to an increased surface area , and advantageously utilizing underlying intraoral bone ridges . the hinged sections allow these appliances to be installed and removed over these bone ridges . the hinged sections are biased so as to return to their original configuration once in place . smooth conforming surfaces in contact with tissue these appliances to be comfortably used . lower dentures in particular are advantageously equipped with extended flanges which are attached through hinges at the mylohyoid ridges and redistribute forces from frontal loads across the mylohyoid ridges to the submandibular fossae .