Intro to RPDs Flashcards
Why are teeth so important?
Improved digestive efficiency (Acquisition, cutting, and trituration of food) leads to better nutrient extractions
Loss of masticatory efficiency
Affects diet (hard foods avoided including fruits and veggies)
Aesthetics (Lip and cheek support + Vertical dimension)
Phonetics and accurate pronounciation.
Good occlusion (Occlusal changes affect masticatory system)
Mental health (Low self-esteem, loss of confidence, and psychological problems)
Cognitive dysfunction (Increased risk for dementia and alzheimer’s)
Maintenance of bone and soft tissues
How do teeth affect occlusion?
Interferences (premature contacts)
Unbalanced muscle contraction
TemperoMandibular Disorders (TMD)
How is cognitive dysfunction related to the masticatory system?
Regular sensory stimulation of mastication is essential for maintaining learning and memory functions of the aged hippocampus.
Cerebral cortex: Lower synaptic density by decreasing sensory input to the cerebral cortex.
Cerebellum: Improved motor functions often due to increased cerebellar activity during chewing.
What causes tooth loss?
Congenitally missing teeth
Caries
Periodontitis
Trauma
Oral and maxillofacial surgery
Orthodontic treatment
What is hypodontia? How is it different to oligodontia?
1 to 6 teeth absent
Oligodontia is more than 6 teeth missing.
How does ageing affect tooth loss?
Increased tooth loss with age
Which teeth are most commonly lost?
Maxillary teeth are lost more often than mandibular teeth.
Posterior teeth are lost more often than anterior teeth.
What is combination syndrome?
Edentulous maxilla opposed by natural mandibular teeth.
Loss of teeth from the anterior portion of the maxillary ridge.
Overgrowth of tuberosities
Extrusion of mandibular anterior teeth
Loss of alveolar bone and ridge height beneath the RPD
What are the associated changes of combination syndrome?
Loss of vertical dimension
Occlusal plane discrepancy
Anterior spatial resorption of the mandible
Development of epulla fissuratum
Poor adaptation of the prosthesis
Periodontal changes
What are the types of prosthodontics?
Fixed prosthodontics
Removable prosthodontics
Maxillofacial prosthodontics (replace or restore missing structures in the head and neck)
What are the contraindications for fixed partial prostheses?
Age <18 years or old patients with low manual dexterity
Length of edentulous area (Ante’s law)
Loss of supporting tissues
What is Ante’s law?
Total root surface area (PDL) of abutment teeth for a FPD must be = or > than the root surface area of the teeth being replaced.
What are the indications for a RPD?
Long-span edentulous area
No distal abutment teeth
Reduced PDL support for remaining teeth
Need for cross-arch stabilization
Excessive bone loss
Limited manual dexterity
What are the indications of using interim RPD?
Loss of additional teeth is inevitable
Carrier for treatment material
Healing process (To wait for stable function and protection)
What are the benefits of an interim RPD?
Simple to make
East to repair/add
Particularly useful in early control phase of management of complex cases.
