Esthetic removable partial dentures.

This article provides information regarding the many ways that removable partial dentures (RPDs) may be used to solve restorative problems in the esthetic zone without displaying metal components or conspicuous acrylic resin flanges. The esthetic zone is defined and described, as are methods for recording it. Six dental categories are presented that assist the dentist in choosing a variety of RPD design concepts that may be used to avoid metal display while still satisfying basic principles of RPDs. New materials that may be utilized for optimal esthetics are presented and techniques for contouring acrylic resin bases and tinting denture bases are described.