[Downloaded free from http://www.j-ips.org on Tuesday, May 15, 2018, IP: 157.41.204.

47]

Review Article

Removable partial dentures designing: Forces as primary concern

S. G. Singla, Jagmohan Lal*
Department of Prosthodontics, Dr. H. S. J. Institute of Dental Sciences, P.U, Chandigarh, *Bhojia Dental
College and Hospital, Budh, Nalagarh (H.P.) India

For correspondence
Dr. Shefali Goyal, H. No 1901, Sector 39-B, Chandigarh, India. E-mail: rajat_singla@rediffmail.com

om
All structural analysis and designing of an removable partial dentures (RPD) require a knowledge of the forces that
fr
will be applied and the ability of the structure to withstand these forces. An RPD is an appliance that allows

a d ns
‘controlled’ movement in function under load to avoid impingement of tissues and injury to abutments. The load
transfer characteristics of various RPD designs are important for best prognosis and longevity. Thus judicious
lo tio
incorporation of various components in an RPD involves counteraction of vertical, horizontal, and rotational forces to
n a
which an appliance is subjected in the oral cavity. The purpose of this article is to design an appliance based on
w
isolation of various forces to which it is subjected during function.
o lic
Key words: Forces, lever, rests, rotational movement d ub
e
rf e w P m).
or o o
Removable partial dentures (RPD) are objects that f
kn .c
move or are allowed to move when placed in function.
b le ed ow
Since, nature demands equilibrium for every object,
living or non-living, RPD has to be in a istate la of M kn
equilibrium, i.e., a state in which opposingaforces or
v b y ed
influences are balanced. Keeping in mind
a d be .m
Devan’s Saddle
Major

s
i tea partialw
statement ‘to preserve that remains,’ forces should
given major consideration while designing
connector

F of thesesappliances
w
denture so as to ensure the dynamics
D h o structures.
w
without deleterious effects to the supporting
P equilibrate
e (
This article aims at designing
taking into considerationis t appliances
various iforces to which it is
s
Director
retainer

subjected.
T h a
Minor
connector

Table 1 and Figure 1 give a quick glance at various Indirect

retainer
parts of RPD. According to Davis Henderson,[1] stability
is that characteristic of removable restoration which Figure 1: Parts of an removable partial dentures
resists forces that tend to alter the relationship between
the denture base and its supporting bone.
Table 1: A quick glance at various parts of RPD The forces acting on the masticatory apparatus and
there by on appliance can be vast in magnitude
Saddle Main component, distributes load
and direction. They can be broadly categorized as in
Teeth Mastication, esthetics
Direct retainers Retention, Bracing and Reciprocation, Support [Figure 2].
Indirect retainers For checking Antero-posterior rotation
Major connector Unification,Load distribution, Rotation check VERTICAL LOADING
Minor connector Unification, Stabilization, Load transmission to abutments
First consider the vertical forces, which can bodily
*Presented at World Congress on Prosthodontics and move the saddle towards or away from the tissues.
31st Indian Prosthodontic Society Congress on Movement of the saddle toward the tissues [Figure 3]
28th November, 2003 at Hotel Ashok, When vertical forces are applied, any compression
New Delhi - 110 021 (India)
that occurs is uniform over the entire seat. Difference

The Journal of Indian Prosthodontic Society | December 2006 | Vol 6 | Issue 4 179

CMYK179
 [Downloaded free from http://www.j-ips.org on Tuesday, May 15, 2018, IP: 157.41.204.47]
Singla, et al.: RPD designing

Figure 6: Orofacial musculature and tongue muscles cause lateral

Figure 2: Forces acting on masticatory apparatus movement

om
fr
a d ns
lo tio
wn a
o lic
d ub
e
rf e w P m).
or o o
f kn .c
Figure 3: Bodily movement of saddle towards tissues Figure 7: Parts of a denture resting against the stippled areas will

le ed ow
resist the forces whose directions are shown by arrows

b
ila M dkn
v a by e Reduction in

a
si ted w.m cusp height

F o s w
PD te h (w Figure 8: Reduced cusp height reduces lateral forces

his si
Figure 4: Rotational movement of saddle along horizontal axis
T a

Figure 9: Extension on anterior part of palate prevents forward

movement
Figure 5: Movement of saddle away from the tissues

in transmission of load is due to difference in resiliency • Physiologic basing

of periodontal ligament and denture bearing mucosa. • Stess equalization.
This problem can be tackled with Periodontal ligament is better able to resist masticatory
• Broad stress distribution forces as compared to residual ridge. Therefore, latter

180 The Journal of Indian Prosthodontic Society | December 2006 | Vol 6 | Issue 4

180 CMYK
 [Downloaded free from http://www.j-ips.org on Tuesday, May 15, 2018, IP: 157.41.204.47]
Singla, et al.: RPD designing

Figure 10: Coverage of pear shaped pad prevents backward Figure 14: Solid support at the anterior end in the form of indirect
movement of denture retainer can prevent rotation of the denture

om
fr
a d ns
Axis of
lo tio
rotation

wn a
o lic
d ub Mechanical Effort arm (EF)
e
rf e w P m).
Advantage = Resistance arm (RF)

or o o Figure 15: Class-I lever

f kn .c
Figure 11: Anteroposterior rotation in free end saddle along

le ed ow
Transverse axis

b
ila M dkn
v a by e
a
si ted w.m
F o s w
PD te h (w
his si Figure 16: Sinking of the saddle at the distal end (rotation towards the
tissues)

Figure 12: Lift at the heel

T a
This rotation can be

Prevented by

Single support for a bar ! Additional support

See-Saw like behaviour ! Tying the bar from above

Figure 13: See saw like movement on a single support

Figure 17: Removable partial dentures behaving like an extraction

is likely to get the larger brunt of load than tooth.
Gradually with passage of time, resorption occurs,
especially at the distal end. There is sinking of the
saddle at the distal end, which may ultimately contribute
towards rotational action along transverse axis
[Figure 4].
forcep
Movement of saddle away from the tissues
This means total lifting of the saddle away from the
base rather than lift at one end [Figure 5]. This may be
the case in any type of saddle. Major forces of retention,

The Journal of Indian Prosthodontic Society | December 2006 | Vol 6 | Issue 4 181

CMYK181
 [Downloaded free from http://www.j-ips.org on Tuesday, May 15, 2018, IP: 157.41.204.47]
Singla, et al.: RPD designing

i.e., physical forces, as in complete denture must be can be anteroposterior rotation or lateral rotation.
employed with. Anteroposterior rotation in free end saddle [Figure 11]
• Intimate contact Rotation around transverse axis can be away from
• Wider area coverage the tissues or towards the tissues.
• Posterior seal A-P rotation away from the tissues (Lift at the heel)
• Polished surfaces [Figure 12]
Then we have the powerful Direct retainer. Use as This movement should be distinguished from bodily
many as you like depending on the: lift of saddle away from the basal seat, i.e., complete
• Number of saddles loss of retention. Loss of retention in this case is only
• Size of saddles at the distal end with the direct retainers still firmly
• Location of saddles in place. This movement cannot be prevented, because
‘Don’t be too miser or too liberal, be judicious and we can not put a stop to the dislodging forces acting
have a simple design’ Always remember the on the saddle. However, definitely, certain measures
fundamental principle of placing the retaining element
om
can be taken to minimize the deleterious effects this
nearer to the saddle.
fr
movement will have on the remaining supporting

a d ns
structures.
Consider a bar with a single support than behaves
o tio
Horizontal movement
[2]
Masticatory forces and forces exerted by orofacial
musculature including tongue [Figure 6] can cause these
l
like a sea-saw rotating around the single fixed axis
n a
[Figure 13]. This rotational movement can be prevented
movements, i.e., lateral bodily movement and
ow ic
by tying the bar from above or providing additional
l
anteroposterior movement.
d ub
solid support.
e If this situation is simulated to that of an RPD, of
Lateral bodily movement
The morphology of supporting tissues and the clasp rf e w P m).
course it cannot be tied to the maxilla from above so
as to prevent the A-P rotation. The only alternative in
r o o
will be provided by rigid parts of a denture i.e., saddle fo
design provide sufficient bracing. In addition, resistance this case is to provide a solid support on the other

kn .c
hand as far as possible from the fulcrum line in the

b le ed ow
and major connector resting on the slopes in the stippled form of a rest (indirect retainer). This limits the sinking

i amorey M dkn
areas [Figure 7] against the forces whose directions at the anterior end and consequently, lift at the heel is
are shown by arrows. Lateral bodily movementlis prevented [Figure 14].
problematic in resorbed ridges and weak a abutments In the process, this additional support at the anterior
v b e
• Use of more number of rigid bracing a
wherein alternatives are: end is subjected to load, which might be deleterious to

to distribute the forces over wideris areas.tedso asw.m

elements the said tooth. We must aim at minimizing this load
or distributing it widely.
• Reduction in cusp height to F
o s forces
reduce lateral w A Class I lever[3] situation is shown in Figure 15.
[Figure 8]. D
P te h (w Wherein, greater the mechanical advantage, lesser is
the force required to lift the bar. In an RPD, by shifting
Anteroposterior movementis
Horizontal forces can h si anteroposterior
also cause
the resistance anteriorly, mechanical advantage can
be reduced and consequently forces transmitted at the
movement, which can T be forward
a or backward. anterior end are reduced. We can also widely distribute
In case of Bounded saddles, contact of saddle itself this load by involving more number of teeth for providing
with abutment teeth resists A-P movement. indirect retention.
In case of free end saddle; (distal extension cases). Rotation towards the tissues (Sinking at the distal
Forward movement is prevented by: end) [Figure 16]
• Extension of major connector on anterior part of With passage of time, ridge resorption, especially at
palate [Figure 9] the distal end leads to sinking of the saddle and
• Using a Linguoplate major connector in case of rotational movement toward the basal seat. In such a
mandibular arch. situation an RPD can behave like an extraction forcep,[4]
Backward movement is prevented by [Figure 10]: with consequent damage to the supporting structures
• Coverage of pear shaped retromales pad [Figure 17].
• Minor connector contacting the mesiolingual surface One solution to this problem is ‘repeated rebasing’
of abutment tooth which is not practically feasible for the dentist as well
• By encircling more than 180o of the abutment with as for the patient.
the clasps. A viable solution is use of mesial rests instead of
distal rests, which permits more even distribution of
Rotational movement load and less stress on abutment teeth.
Rotational forces cause rotational movement, which In Figure 18, when a disto-occlusal rest is used, fulcrum

182 The Journal of Indian Prosthodontic Society | December 2006 | Vol 6 | Issue 4

182 CMYK
 [Downloaded free from http://www.j-ips.org on Tuesday, May 15, 2018, IP: 157.41.204.47]
Singla, et al.: RPD designing

B - Centre of rotation
C - Proximal plate

Figure 18: Use of mesial erest instead of distal rest Figure 22: RPI system

om
fr
a d ns
lo tio
wn a
o lic
d ub
e Figure 23: Additional retainer placed at anterior end can prevent

rf e w P m).
upward rotation

r o o
Figure 19: Force F1 located nearer to the center of rotation is resisted
o
better than force F2
f kn .c
ble ed ow
ila M dkn
v a by e
a
si ted w.m
F o s w
PD te h (w
Figure 20: Occlusion rest extended to the adjacent tooth for wider
distribution of load

is si
Figure 24: Lateral rotation along sagittal axis

h
T a

Figure 21: Rotational action made more vertical in gingival area of

abutment due to increase in length of lever arm by use of M-O rest Figure 25: Cross arch bracing

‘F’, lies near the distal marginal ridge (DMR) and as
the vertical loading occurs, denture sinks at the distal
end. The clasp terminal moves up to engage the
undercut, hence constituting the resistance arm in
accordance with Class I lever and thereby exerts tipping
forces on the abutment.
In case of mesio-occlusal (MO) rest, when effort ‘E’ is
applied, fulcrum F shifts to mesial marginal ridge
(MMR) and clasp terminal rotates downward and
mesially. At the same time, remaining part of clasp,
i.e., shoulder portion (that lies above the survey line)
provides resistance R to downward sinking. Thus, a

The Journal of Indian Prosthodontic Society | December 2006 | Vol 6 | Issue 4 183

CMYK183
 [Downloaded free from http://www.j-ips.org on Tuesday, May 15, 2018, IP: 157.41.204.47]
Singla, et al.: RPD designing

Class II lever situation is constituted which is beneficial.
Since this resistance R is situated closer to the rotational
center F than the clasp terminal, these forces are well
resisted as in case of a pole embedded in sand
[Figure 19]. We can also extend the occlusal rest to the
adjacent tooth for wider distribution of load [Figure 20].
With the use of a MO rest there is an increase in
length of lever arm, which makes rotational action
more vertical in gingival area of abutment tooth
[Figure 21].
RPI system[5] [Figure 22] is one such system designed
to incorporate MO rest and allows vertical rotation of
saddle towards mucosa without damaging the
supporting structures of abutment tooth.
An additional retainer anteriorly if permissible
(esthetically) can prevent upward rotation at the anterior
REFERENCES
end of RPD, hence minimizing the sinking at the distal
end of the saddle [Figure 23].
Lateral rotation in free end saddle [Figure 24]
w n a
This occurs along sagittal axis. This can be checked
o lic
by Cross arch bracing, i.e., rigid major connector is
d ub
extended onto the opposite side of the arch as far
e 3
combinations of edentulous spaces and remaining teeth.
It is up to the dentist to understand the functions of
parts and to select the ones that will counter various
forces generated around fulcrum lines by levers or
inclined planes. When a patient comes, view the
diagnostic models, outline the saddle and try to imagine
the forces to which it can be subjected and movements
it can make. After this make judicious use of various
components without complicating the design.
Just remember, You are to prescribe and lab is to
execute and not the opposite. RPD is a Tertiary
prevention aid. Without mechanical and biological
consideration, an RPD can be and often is unknowingly
om designed as a destructive machine.
fr
a d ns
lo tio 1. Henderson D. Occlusion in removable partial prosth-
odontics 1972. J Prosthet Dent 2004;91:1-5.
2. Davenport JC, Basker RM, Heath JR, Ralph JP, Glantz
PO, Hammond P. Bracing and reciprocation. Br Dent
J 2001;190:10-4.
Avant WE. Indirect retention in partial denture de-

at its distal most end [Figure 25]. rf e w P m).

posteriorly as possible and a retainer unit is provided
4
sign. J Prosthet Dent 2003;90:1-5.
Davenport JC, Basker RM, Heath JR, Ralph JP, Glantz

or o o PO. Retention. Br Dent J 2000;189:646-57.

f kn .c 5 Eliason CM. RPA clasp design for distal extension re-

movable partial dentures. J Prosthet Dent 1983;49:25.
le ed ow
CONCLUSION

b
a M kn
When planning treatment for partially edentulous
patients, the dentist is confronted with lmyriad
Source of Support: Nil, Conflict of Interest: None declared.
i
a by ed
a v
si ted w.m
F o s w
PD te h (w
h is si
T a
Author Help: Online Submission of the Manuscripts
Articles can be submitted online from http://www.journalonweb.com. For online submission articles should be prepared in two files (first page
file and article file). Images should be submitted separately.
1) First Page File:
Prepare the title page, covering letter, acknowledgement, etc., using a word processor program. All information which can reveal your
identity should be here. Use text/rtf/doc/pdf files. Do not zip the files.
2) Article file:
The main text of the article, beginning from Abstract till References (including tables) should be in this file. Do not include any information
(such as acknowledgement, your names in page headers, etc.) in this file. Use text/rtf/doc/pdf files. Do not zip the files. Limit the file size
to 400 kb. Do not incorporate images in the file. If file size is large, graphs can be submitted as images separately without incorporating
them in the article file to reduce the size of the file.
3) Images:
Submit good quality colour images. Each image should be less than 400 kb in size. Size of the image can be reduced by decreasing the
actual height and width of the images (keep up to about 3 inches) or by reducing the quality of image. All image formats (jpeg, tiff, gif,
bmp, png, eps, etc.) are acceptable; jpeg is most suitable. The image quality should be good enough to judge the scientific value of the
image.
Always retain a good quality, high resolution image for print purpose. This high resolution image should be sent to the editorial office at
the time of sending a revised article.
4) Legends:
Legends for the figures/images should be included at the end of the article file.

184 The Journal of Indian Prosthodontic Society | December 2006 | Vol 6 | Issue 4

184 CMYK