PARTIAL DENTURE

DEFINITION
A dental prosthesis that restore one or more but not all of the natural teeth. It can be described as a removable partial denture or fixed partial denture.

Classification of partial denture.
Cummer’s classification: Cummer in 1920 classified partial denture in to four type based on the position of direct retainers:
• Diagonal: two direct retainers diagonally opposite to one another
• Diametric: two direct retainers are diametrically opposite to one another.
• Unilateral: two or more direct retainer present on thesame side.
• Multilateral: three direct retainers in a triangular relationship.

Osborne and lammie’s classification: They classified partial denture based on the type of borne. It was proposed in 1974.
• Class 1 : mucosa borne
• Class 2 : tooth borne
• Class 3 : combination of mucosa borne and tooth borne

Mauk’s classification: The classification is based on number, length and position of the edentulous space and the no and position of remaining teeth.
• Class 1: bilateral space with no teeth posterior to it.
• Class 2: bilateral space with teeth present posterior to one edentulous space.
• Class 3 : bilateral space with teeth present posterior to both edentulous space
• Class 4: unilateral space with no teeth posterior to it.
• Class 5: anterior space with unbroken posterior arches on both side.
• Class 6: irregular space around the arch which the remaining teeth are single in small group.

Kennedy’s classification: The classification is based on the position of the spaces once occupied by the missing teeth in relation to the remaining teeth. It may be said to base on the location of the edentulous spaces in relation to the remaining teeth. It was proposed in 1923 and are thus:
• Class I: bilateral edentulous space located in the posterior region without any teeth posterior to it. (Two free end posterior saddle)
• Class II: unilateral edentulous area in the posterior region.(one free end posterior saddle)
• Class III: unilateral edentulous space with natural teeth anterior and posterior to it. (One non free end posterior saddle)
• Class IV:single edentulous area, which crosses the midline of the arch, with remaining teeth present only posterior to it. (One anterior saddle)
Modification were made to class I, II, and III, while there are no modifications to class iv because when a second saddle is present it becomes automatically one of the other three classes.

TYPES OF PARTIAL DENTURE
REMOVABLE PARTIAL DENTURES: A prosthesis that replaces some teeth in a partially dentate arch. It is designed to be removed by the wearer.
Indications for removable partial denture: 1. Age
2. Abutment tooth
3. Length of edentulous span
4. Emotional problems
5. Patients desires
6. Periodontal support of the remaining teeth.
Parts of a removable partial denture
The component of a removable partial denture are:
• Connectors (major and minor)
• Rest
• Retainer (direct and indirect)
• Denture base
• Artificial tooth replacement.

Types of removable partial denture
The various forms of removable partial denture are:-
Unilateral RPD: This is used for replacing a single tooth or short span edentulous space. It is a prosthesis used to restore lost or missing teeth on one side of the arch only. They tend to prodruce lateral forces on the abutment which leads to their failure.
I - bar RPD: This is a special type of RPD designed to minimize tooth contact of the retainer.
Swing lock RPD: These are indicated whre the number of remaining teeth is too few to support a conventional design. The denture has a labial bar in addition to the lingual major connector. The main aim of the labial bar is to support the periodontal weak teeth
Guide plane RPD: It is used to provide additional stability to periodontally weaked teeth in buccolingually.
Removable partial overdenture: Overdenture is a denture that can be supported by soft tissue, modified tooth borne. Overdenture abutment is the supporting tooth that gets covered by the denture. Removable partial overdenture is a type of RPD that recieves its support from an overdenture abutment on both sides
. FIXED PARTIAL DENTURES(BRIDGES): This is a partial denture that is securely cemented to the natural teeth or roots which forms the primary support to the prosthesis.

Indications for Bridges
1. Patient’s preference
2. Short spam edentulous archs.
3. Mentally compromised and physically handicap patients
4. Presence of a sound abutment teeth adjacent to the edentulous space.

Parts of a fixed partial denture
The component of a FPD are:-
• Retainers
• Pontics
• Connectors (rigid and non-rigid).

Classification of bridges
Bridges are usually classified based on the factors like: design, length of span, material used, and type of connectors.
Based on the design:
Conventional bridge
Cantilever bridge
Spring Cantilever Bridge
Based on the type of connectors:
Removable fixed partial denture
Fixed movable partial denture
Fixed fixed partial denture
Based on the length of span
Long span bridge
Short span bridge
Based on the material used:
All metal bridge
All ceramic bridge
All acrylic bridge
Metal-ceramic Bridge

Conventional bridge: This type of bridge are designed to take support from abutments on either side of the edentulous space.
Spring cantilever bridge: This Bridge are usually designed for replacing maxillary incisors which support only a single pontic. The support is obtained from posterior abutment.
Cantilever bridge: It is a bridge used when support can be obtained only from one side of the edentulous space.
Removable bridge: This is a type of bridge that can be removed by the patients. Fixed movable partial denture: This is a bridge that have one or more non-rigid connectors that acts like stress breaker while transmitting unwanted leverage forces.
Fixed fixed partial denture: This is a bridge with rigid connectors, the connector does not allow movement between the connected components.
Long span fixed partial denture: This is used where two or more tooth have to be replaced and take support from more than one abutment on either side.
Short pan bridges: These are single bridge which replaces one or two teeth, and the teeth on either side are abutments.
All metal bridge: These type of bridge are fabricated with metals only. They have maximum strength, durability and are indicated for replacing maxillary and mandibular posterior teeth.
All ceramic bridge: These dentures are fabricated using only ceramics.
All acrylic bridge: These bridges are fabricated using only acrylic and it is indicated for long term temporary prosthesis.
Metal-ceramic Bridge: In these type of bridge, metal is used to fabricate the core of the prosthesis while ceramic is used for external surface.