Photoelastic stess analysis of overdenture attachments.

This is a summary of various investigations designed to study the transmission of forces through overdenture abutments to the remaining oral structures: 1. The best design for uniform distribution of occlusal forces to the remaining structures was the conventional design, particularly the amalgam restored abutment. This design, however, provided less effective retention and stability than the other designs. 2. In the group of stud type attachments studied, the Ancrofix transferred stress in a more favorable manner to the remaining structures in the oral cavity when compared to the other stud attachments. 3. The Hader Bar provided more desirable effects to the abutments and remaining structures than did the other tissue bars. 4. The major objective in the choice of an overdenture attachment should be the consideration of how the stress is transferred from these attachments through the abutments and other structures, not the retnetion and stability.