H Itoh1, A A Caputo, R Wylie, T Berg. 1. Department of Removable Prosthodontics, Tohoku University, School of Dentistry, Sendai, Japan.
Abstract
STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: Periodontally compromised abutment teeth complicate the design of bilateral distal extension removable partial dentures. PURPOSE: This study investigated the stress induced in the remaining oral structures by a bilateral distal extension I-bar-retained RPD with periodontally involved abutments in a photoelastic simulation model. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Composite photoelastic models were used as a simulation model in determining the stress generating characteristics of I-bar RPDs with varying degrees of periodontal involvement of the distal abutments. Effects of fixed splinting were considered. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Under the same load conditions, the highest stresses developed in the model with the largest osseous defect. Increasing the number of splinted teeth did not provide a proportional decrease in maximum stress levels. The more severe the osseous defect, the greater assistance was provided by splinting to periodontally sound teeth. This simulation study suggests that routine cross-arch splinting may not be appropriate.
STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: Periodontally compromised abutment teeth complicate the design of bilateral distal extension removable partial dentures. PURPOSE: This study investigated the stress induced in the remaining oral structures by a bilateral distal extension I-bar-retained RPD with periodontally involved abutments in a photoelastic simulation model. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Composite photoelastic models were used as a simulation model in determining the stress generating characteristics of I-bar RPDs with varying degrees of periodontal involvement of the distal abutments. Effects of fixed splinting were considered. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Under the same load conditions, the highest stresses developed in the model with the largest osseous defect. Increasing the number of splinted teeth did not provide a proportional decrease in maximum stress levels. The more severe the osseous defect, the greater assistance was provided by splinting to periodontally sound teeth. This simulation study suggests that routine cross-arch splinting may not be appropriate.