Partial dentures 1 new Flashcards
- What are the main treatment options for missing teeth?
🔹 Resin-Retained Bridge (RBB) 🧲
🔹 Dental Implant 🔩
🔹 Removable Partial Denture (Acrylic or Metal) 🦷
What are the pros and cons of Resin-Retained Bridges (RBBs)?
✅ Pros:
Minimal prep (conservative!) ✂️
Aesthetic 🌟
Quick & comfy 😌
Good for single anterior tooth 💁♀️
❌ Cons:
Only for 1 tooth 🦷
Needs healthy adjacent teeth 💪
May de-bond over time 😬
Dental Implants: Pros and Cons?
✅ Pros:
Gold standard 💛
Prevents bone loss 🦴
Doesn’t rely on other teeth 🙅♂️
Long-lasting 🔁
❌ Cons:
Expensive 💸
Requires surgery 🏥
Needs good bone density 🧱
Can take 3–6 months ⏳
Pros and cons of Removable Dentures?
✅ Pros:
Cheap 💰
Non-invasive 🙌
Easy to adjust 🔧
Great as a temporary fix ⏲️
❌ Cons:
“False teeth” stigma 🙈
Plaque trap 😷
Less stable than fixed 💨
May affect taste/speech 👅🗣️
Why do dentures affect plaque control?
🦠 More plaque due to:
Covered gingiva = less saliva 😶🌫️
Difficult to clean around clasps 🔍
Increased caries & perio risk 😱
Candida risk under full coverage 🍄
What are some UK stats on dentures?
📌 13% of adults wear partial dentures
📌 6% wear complete dentures
📌 6+ million denture wearers in the UK 🇬🇧
📌 Higher rates in lower socio-economic groups 📉
Compare Acrylic vs Cobalt Chrome Dentures
🔴 Acrylic:
✅ Cheap, easy to adjust & add teeth
Covers large SA
🧰
❌ Bulky, weaker, less hygienic 🤢
affects taste
collects plaque
⚪ Cobalt Chrome:
✅ Thin, strong, better hygiene 🌬️
gingival clearance - less palate covered
Retention and support better than acrylic
❌ Expensive, hard to modify 💸🛠️
What is the Kennedy Classification?
Name 4 parts of a Partial Denture
Saddle – replaces teeth - area with no teeth
Support -Rests – provides support
Retention -Clasps – retention 🧷
Major Connector – joins the denture 🤝
(Flange – mimics gum tissue aesthetics 😁)
What’s the difference between Tooth-borne & Mucosa-borne support?
🦷 Tooth-borne = stable, uses teeth 💪
😮💨 Mucosa-borne = compressible, unstable 😵
⚖️ Tooth + mucosa = combo (esp. for free-end saddles) 🤹♀️
What are the biological and mechanical risks of bad denture design?
🧫 Biological:
Caries
Gingivitis
Periodontal disease
⚙️ Mechanical:
Tooth fracture
Denture breakage
Movement = discomfort 😖
What are the 3 types of acrylic denture designs?
👅 Full Palatal Coverage Denture:
Covers whole palate – max retention 💯
Higher risk of candida 💀
👛 Spoon Denture (Flipper):
Quick, cheap, temp fix ⏱️
Weak, unstable ⚠️
🛠️ Modified Spoon:
Same but with clasps/rests – more stable 🧱
What are the principles of good denture design?
✨ 3mm gingival clearance
✨ Simple design
✨ Rigid design major connector 🛡️
✨ Support spread around arch Distribute forces evenly ⚖️
✨ Avoid food/plaque traps 🍞🦠
What are the 5 stages of making Acrylic Dentures?
Primary impression 📸
Special tray & secondary impression 🖌️
Jaw registration with wax rims 😮
Try-in (check fit/aesthetics) 👁️👁️
Final processing & fit 🏁
What are the 6 stages of making Cobalt Chrome Dentures?
Primary impression & survey 🎯- special tray ,design denture
Tooth mods & 2nd impression ✂️
Metal framework try-in 🧪
Record occlusion 📝
Tooth try-in 👄
Fit stage ✨
What makes a denture more hygienic?
✅ Less gingival coverage
✅ Good design (no food traps)
✅ Metal framework > acrylic 🧼
✅ Encourage patient cleaning habits 💦🪥
What info must you gather before planning a denture?
🦷 Dental history – previous dentures?
🪥 Oral hygiene – plaque/caries risk?
🧼 Medical history – dry mouth? meds?
👅 Soft tissues – tori? flabby ridges?
📸 Study models – occlusion + space
🗣️ Patient expectations – aesthetics, function, feel?
What are the functions of the major connector?
🔗 Joins both sides of the denture
📏 Distributes occlusal forces evenly
🧲 Provides rigidity
🪛 Stabilises the denture
💨 Allows for hygienic design (less tissue coverage)
What are rests and what do they do?
📌 Metal projections that sit in prepared rest seats on teeth!
They:
🔸 Prevent sinking of denture (support)
🔸 Help direct forces onto teeth 💪
🔸 Stabilise against lateral movement
🔸 Keep clasps in position 😎
What is an I-bar clasp?
📍 An I-bar is a gingivally approaching clasp that comes up from below the undercut like a little antenna 📡 and contacts the tooth in an I-shaped vertical arm!
💡Key features:
➖ Approaches from the gum line (gingival direction)
➖ Passively lies against the tooth until dislodging force is applied
🌀 Flexes into the undercut for retention
🧼 Minimal tooth contact = better aesthetics + hygiene
🧱 Often used in the RPI system (Rest, Proximal Plate, I-bar)
🔐 Common on premolars or canines when an undercut is on the buccal/labial
What is an occlusally approaching clasp (aka occlusal bar)?
An occlusally approaching clasp is a direct retainer that comes from the occlusal (chewing) surface of the tooth and moves downward into an undercut on the buccal or lingual side! 😬⬇️
💥 Aka: circumferential clasp, Aker’s clasp, or C-clasp
💡Key Features:
🔹 Comes from the top (occlusal direction)
🔹 Rests on an occlusal rest seat
🔹 Encircles part of the tooth like a hook 🪝
🔹 Engages the undercut on the tooth’s buccal or lingual side
🔹 More rigid and supportive than gingival ones
Different types of clasps
What is a minor connector
What is a spoon denture?
A spoon denture is a small, simple removable partial denture 🦷 designed to replace one or two missing anterior teeth, especially in patients with severe alveolar bone resorption 😮💨
🍵 Key features:
▪️ Acrylic-only base
▪️ Shaped like a spoon 🍽️
▪️ No clasps or major connectors
▪️ Rests against the palatal mucosa
▪️ Often used temporarily or in older adults
💡 Think: minimalist, temporary, lightweight — but not the best for long-term function!
What are the pros and cons of spoon dentures?
Advantages:
🔹 Simple + quick to fabricate ⏱️
🔹 Minimally invasive
🔹 Good for healing phase or interim use
🔹 Comfortable for patients 👵
❌ Disadvantages:
🔸 Poor retention (no clasps) 😬
🔸 Not stable during speech or eating 🗣️🥄
🔸 Easily dislodged 😩
🔸 Not suitable for long-term use 🚫
What is a modified spoon denture?
A modified spoon denture is a better version of the classic spoon denture that includes some form of retention or extension for improved stability 👑✨
🔧 Modifications may include:
🔸 Wrought wire clasps for retention
🔸 Extension of the base to cover more palate
🔸 Addition of rest seats or guiding planes
🔸 Use of cobalt-chrome base for added strength 💪
💡 This is still used in temporary or transitional situations but has better function and stability than a basic spoon denture!
What is A colleted denture?
Most common denture - cover whole palate
Fully collected denture
Popular with dentist and patients
What are the advantages of a collated denture
Full palatal coverage
Well tolerated
Retention and stable
Easy to manufacture and adjust or add too
Covers gingival margins
What are the disadvantages of COLLETED DENTURE
Increased plaque retention
Saliva can’t get underneath denture well
Candida albicans can live on inside of denture
When mucosa is covered the saliva cannot get underneath which contains antifungal agents therefore candida thrive s
How can Colleting dentures traumatise soft tissues?
Collette dentures can traumatise soft tissues when:
🔴 Acrylic flange pushes plaque into pockets around the teeth 🦠 → This can lead to gingival inflammation and periodontitis 😬
🟠 Improper fit or design → When the acrylic doesn’t follow the gingival margin, it creates a space where plaque builds up, affecting tissue health 💔
Prevention & Solution:
🔵 Technician adjustments → The technician can modify the denture design so the acrylic sits higher up the tooth near the gingival margin 💡
🟢 Biting forces → By ensuring the biting force is transmitted more to the tooth and not on soft tissue, plaque buildup on the gums is reduced 🚫🦷
💡 Remember: Denture design is crucial for maintaining healthy tissues and preventing complications! 🙌
Effects of poorly designed dentures
