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Concept
Removable partial denture
Summary
A removable partial denture (RPD) is a denture for a partially edentulous patient who desires to have replacement teeth for functional or aesthetic reasons and who cannot have a bridge (a fixed partial denture) for any reason, such as a lack of required teeth to serve as support for a bridge (i.e. distal abutments) or financial limitations.
This type of prosthesis is referred to as a removable partial denture because patients can remove and reinsert it when required without professional help. Conversely, a "fixed" prosthesis can and should be removed only by a dental professional.
The aim of an RPD is to restore masticatory function, speech, appearance and other anatomical features.
RPD may be used when there is a lack of required teeth to serve as support for a bridge (i.e. distal abutments) or financial limitations. A single-tooth RPD known as a "flipper tooth" may be used temporarily after a tooth is extracted, during the several months it takes to complete the placement of a dental implant and crown.
Advantages of using RPD include:
Reduced encroachment on existing teeth
Replacement of a greater number of missing teeth
Easily removed for cleaning and hygiene maintenace
Fairly simple to fix/replace the prosthesis if damaged
Modifications can be made to the prosthesis in some cases following additional tooth loss
Disadvantages of using RPD include:
Limited stability whilst in function
Significant coverage even in cases where few teeth require replacement in order to maximise retention
Visible components depending on teeth needing replacement
Potential risk to the health of remaining teeth due to plaque accumulation or trauma
The patient's oral condition is categorized based on the remaining dentition in a classification first proposed by Dr. Edward Kennedy in 1925. His classification consisted of four general outlines for partially edentulous arches that can present within a patient, which then could be treated with an RPD. When there is an edentulous space that is outside of the four classifications, it is termed a modification space.
Official source
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