Chapter 7: Direct Retainers

1) How is mechanical retention in a RPD accomplished?

-- Direct retainers engage abutment tooth.
2) What factor other than retention contributes to resistance of the denture to dislodging
forces?
-- Stability and support provided by major/minor connectors, rests, and tissue
bases.
3) What is the function of a direct retainer (clasp)?
-- Prevent movement away from teeth/tissue.
4) What are the two types of direct retainers
-- Intracoronal (fits inside the abutment tooth) and extracoronal (clasp).
5) Describe how intracoronal and extracoronal retainers work?
-- Intracoronal: Internal or precision attachment that consists of machined key
and keyway that sits inside the crown of the tooth.
-- Extracoronal: Involves components placed on the external surfaces of the
abutment tooth. Clasp type engages undercut. Dalbo type has interlocking or spring
loaded component. Manufactured attachment uses clips or rings that engage component
attached to the abutment tooth.
6) What is the Height of Contour?
-- The line around an abutment tooth circumscribing the greatest circumference
of the tooth.
7) What is the Angle of cervical convergence?
-- Depth of the Undercut. The angle formed between a vertical rod placed
against the surface of the tooth and the axial surface below the height of the contour.
8) Do the components of a direct retainer that perform the functions of 1. Support by a
rest, 2. Stabilization-reciprocation, and 3. Retention, all have to come from a common
source?
-- No
9) Flexibility is permitted for which component of the clasp assembly?
-- The clasp arm. (The arm that engages an undercut).
10) The amount of retention a direct retainer can generate depends on what 3 factors?
-- Flexibility of the clasp arm, angle of cervical convergence and, how far the
clasp terminal is placed into the undercut.
11) Flexibility of the retentive arm depends on 4 physical and compositional factors.
Name them.
-- Length of clasp arm, Diameter of clasp arm, cross-sectional form of clasp arm,
and material used for clasp arm.
12) Which is more important for retention, the relation of the tip of the retentive arm to
the height of contour or its depth in the angle of cervical convergence?
-- Depth in angle of cervical convergence.
13) Describe the proportional tapers of a cast, half-round retentive arm.
-- Uniform taper (lengthwise and widthwise) from attachment to tip. Diameter at
the tip is half as much as the diameter at attachment point.
14) Describe the taper of a cast half-round reciprocating-stabilizing arm.
-- Tapered only in 1 dimension (lengthwise) Overall diameter is larger than
retentive arm since it is not designed to flex.

15) Name the two types of retentive clasp arms.

-- Cirumferential (encircles tooth) and Bar clasps (discontinuous contact).
16) Where does a bar clasp approaches an undercut from the ____? Circumferential
______?
-- Bar clasp approaches undercut from the gingival, circumferential approaches
undercut from occlusal.
17) T/F: A clasp assembly may be a combination of cast circumferential and bar clasp
arms and/or wrought-wire retention in one of several combinations?
-- TRUE
18) Which arm is more flexible, a bar clasp arm or a half-round circumferential clasp
arm?
-- Circumferential.
19) Which is more flexible Gold or CrCo retentive arms?
-- Gold
20) Cast clasp arms are a half-round shaped. In which direction do they flex?
-- Away from the tooth (duh!)
21) A wrought-wire (round) clasp arm will flex in which directions?
-- All directions equally.
22) Explain reciprocation.
-- Designed to resist tooth movements when retainer arm is deformed around
tooth during engagement of undercut. Reciprocal arm must be in contact with the tooth
while retainer arm is being deformed. May cause a temporary tipping force during
placement.
23) What happens if the clasp assembly encompasses less than 180 of a tooth?
-- Tooth can move independently of retainer or vice versa.
24) skip (see pg. 95 for picture)
25) T/F: Clasp retainers on abutment teeth adjacent to distal extension bases should be
designed so that they will minimize direct transmission of tipping and rotational forces to
the abutment.
-- TRUE
26) T/F: The location of a usable undercut is perhaps the most important single factor in
selecting a clasp for a distal extension RPD.
-- ?
27) What factors are important to determine clasp retention and design?
-- Clasp must encircle 181 of the tooth.
-- The occlusal rest must prevent movement of clasp arms toward the gingival.
-- Each retentive terminal should be opposed by a reciprocal component capable
of resisting any transient pressures exerted by the retentive arm during placement and
dislodgment of the RPD.
-- Clasp retainers should avoid transmitting tipping forces to abutments.
-- Retentive clasps should be bilaterally opposed (buccal retention on one side of
arch should have buccal retention on other side of arch), unless guiding planes will
control the path of insertion/removal and stabilize abutments against rotational
movements.

-- The path of escapement for each retentive clasp terminal must be other than
parallel to the path of removal for the RPD to require clasp engagement with the
resistance to deformation that is retention.
-- The amount of retention should always be the minimum necessary to retain the
RPD.
-- Reciprocal elements of the claps assembly should be located at the junction of
the gingival and middle thirds of the crowns of abutment teeth. The terminal end of the
retentive arm is optimally placed in the gingival third of the crown.
28) When do you use circumferential embrasure clasps? What are the disadvantages?
-- Used in unmodified class II or III (no edentulous spaces on one side).
Disadvantages : Must widen area in occlusal third contact area of two teeth for common
body of clasp to pass through. Common body area is prone to fracture. Should use two
occlusal rests to prevent the teeth from spreading apart.
29) What are the indications for use of a cast circumferential direct retainer?
-- All tooth supported dentures.
30) What observations would lead to the selection of a bar-type clasp?
-- Small degree of undercut (.01) in cervical third. Approach from gingival.
-- use on abutment teeth for tooth-supported RPDs
-- In distal extension bases
-- When esthetics are a concern and a cast clasp is indicated.
31) What is a combination clasp and what are the indications for use?
-- Consists of a wrought-wire retentive clasp arm and a cast reciprocal arm clasp
arm. Retentive arm is usually a circumferential clasp but can be a bar. Combination
clasps are used when flexibility is desired such as on weak abutment teeth adjacent to
edentulous spaces and where an I bar is contraindicated. Also, the pgp wire is more
esthetic than a cast clasp.
32) State three advantages of the combination clasp.
-- Flexibility of wire retentive arm
-- Adjustability of the RPD. Especially if future adjustments are expected or
precise retentive features are not available.
-- Esthetics are higher than a cast clasp since the wire can be made smaller
without the risk of fracture associated with a clasp.
33) Name the essential parts of a dental surveyor.
-- Vertical arm
-- Adjustable table
34) What are the six factors that determine the amount of retention a clasp can generate?
-- Type of metal used.
-- Cross-sectional form of the clasp arm
-- Diameter of the clasp arm
-- Length of the clasp arm
-- Size of the angle of cervical convergence, and How far the clasp sits into the
angle of cervical convergence
-- Stabilizing/reciprocating arm
35) How does tilting the cast affect the selected areas available for clasp retention.
-- Tilting the cast increases the angle of cervical convergence at some points and
decreases them at other. Have to find a balance.

36) What are the six basic principles of design for an extracoronal retainer.
-- Retention
-- Support
-- Stabilization
-- Reciprocation
-- ? Vertical stop
-- ? Esthetics
37) Common errors of circumferential clasp design. Name them. (see drawing pg. 103)
-- Undesirable height of contour (occlusal 1/3)
-- Unsuitable location of retentive arm on unmodified abutment
-- Both clasp arms made retentive
-- Terminal portion of clasp arm too close to gingival margin.
38) Would you agree that the most important factor in selecting a type of direct retainer
for a distal extension base is the location of the undercut?
-- ? No. Amount of retention achieved is more important than location of the
undercut.
39) Do guiding planes also contribute to retention?
-- Yes. Guiding planes assist with the placement of the RPD but they also can
limit rotation of abutment teeth.
40) Why should retentive clasps in class I be bilaterally opposed?
-- Helps control the path of insertion and removal and stabilize abutments against
rotational movements when guiding planes are not used.
41) In a class III partial, should the retention be bilaterally or diametrically opposed?
-- Either. This helps to balance forces.
42) Differentiate between 3 basic approaches to the application of the RPI retainer
system.
(RPIs are designed to limit the rotational forces of distal extension bases on the
abutment teeth by by being flexible or disengaging from the teeth.)
-- The location of the rest (mesially on the primary abutment teeth. Makes the
lever less effective)
-- The design of the minor connector (extend the entire length of the proximal
tooth surface or from the marginal ridge to the jxn of the middle and gingival thirds of the
proximal tooth surface.
-- Location of the retentive arm ( should be located in the gingival third of the
buccal surface of the abutment in a .01 undercut.
43) How does the amount of contact of the minor connector proximal plate with the
corresponding guiding plane in the RPI system influence the way stress is transferred to
the abutment tooth and the residual ridge?
-- By extending the proximal plate to contact greater surface area of guide planes
directs functional forces in horizontal direction, thus the teeth or tooth is loaded more
than the edentulous ridge. If the proximal plate only extends from the marginal ridge to
the junction of the middle and gingival thirds, the tooth and edentulous ridge will be
loaded more equally. (See fig. 7-23 and 7-24 on pg. 96)