What is the term used for muscle trimming on an edentulous patient?

The term used for muscle trimming on an edentulous patient is border molding. This technique involves the manipulation of the surrounding soft tissues of the oral cavity, such as the cheeks, lips, and tongue, to create accurate impressions for the fabrication of dentures. By performing border molding, dental professionals ensure that the prosthesis will have a proper fit and will adhere well to the oral tissues, which is crucial for comfort and function.

Bite registration refers to capturing the relationship between the upper and lower jaws, which is a different process essential for denture construction but does not involve trimming muscle. Impression molding is generally about taking impressions of the dental arch without specifically focusing on the musculature. Trim molding could suggest modifying the prosthesis once it is made but does not pertain to the process of shaping the underlying muscle anatomy of an edentulous patient. Therefore, border molding is the best terminology to describe muscle trimming in this context.