Dhaka Community Medical College & Hospital

(Dental Unit)
Department of Prosthodontics

Assignment on
“Clinical Questions of RPD”

Submitted By:
Rayhana Zannat Joly
Batch: BDS-03
Session: 2015-16
Roll No: 05

Submitted To:
Dr. Jannatul Ferdous
Lecturer, Department of Prosthodontics
Dhaka Community Medical College & Hospital

Contents
Question 1.......................................................................................................................................1

Difference between class 1 and class 4 edentulous arch according to Kennedy

classification................................................................................................................................1

Question 2.......................................................................................................................................2

How you design a partial edentulous class 3 modification 1 case with large inoperable
tori in mid palatal area?............................................................................................................2

Question 3.......................................................................................................................................3

A 40 years old patient has come to you with missing of both sided upper...........................3

a) What is your diagnosis according to Kennedy classification?........................................3

b) What are the possible treatment options? Which one is best and why?........................3

Question 4.......................................................................................................................................5

A patient came to you who had a periodontal surgery and have large edentulous space.
What type of connector you will select and why?...................................................................5

Question 5.......................................................................................................................................5

Why will you choose Co-Cr alloy to make a major connector?.............................................5

Question 6.......................................................................................................................................6

What is minor connector? Write down the functions of minor connector...........................6

Question 7.......................................................................................................................................6

Mention the name of an alloy which is commonly used for making major connector and
why this alloy is used commonly?.............................................................................................6

Question 8.......................................................................................................................................7

A patient is wearing removable partial denture. In recall visit after 6 months you got
secondary caries and calculus. Discuss the possible causes and give the solution...............7
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Question 1

Difference between class 1 and class 4 edentulous arch according to Kennedy

classification.

Answer:

Difference between class-1 and class-4 edentulous arch:

Class-1 Class-2

a) Bilateral edentulous area located posterior a) Single, bilateral edentulous area

to the remaining natural teeth. located anterior to the remaining
natural teeth.

b) Two edentulous spaces are present. b) Single edentulous space is present.

c) Edentulous area doesn’t cross the midline. c) Edentulous area crosses the midline.

d) There can be modification areas. d) There can be no modification area in

class-4.
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Question 2

How you design a partial edentulous class 3 modification 1 case with large
inoperable tori in mid palatal area?

Answer: According to Kennedy’s classification class 3 edentulous area is, “Unilateral

edentulous area with natural teeth anterior and posterior to it. Edentulous area does not cross the
midline.”

In this case, if the anterior teeth are missing, I’ll prefer Horseshoe or U-shaped connector. And if
the posterior teeth are missing, I’ll prefer Antero-posterior palatal bar.

Here the RPD designs are-

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Question 3

A 40 years old patient has come to you with missing of both sided upper

a) What is your diagnosis according to Kennedy classification?

b) What are the possible treatment options? Which one is best and why?

Answer:

a) According to Kennedy classification my diagnosis is it is a case of Kennedy class 1.

b) The possible treatment options are-
1. Palatal plate type major connector or single broad palatal major connector
2. Closed horseshoe or antero-posterior palatal strap
3. Complete palate

I think Single broad palatal major connector is the best choice for this case. Because-
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1. The patient will get good support from the premolar abutments located anterior to the
edentulous areas.
2. It is a case with more than 6 remaining anterior teeth.
3. Intimate contact with the palatal tissues over a large area provides good retention due to the
presence of interfacial surface tension.
4. It provides good vertical support.
5. Numerous surface corrugations due to very thin metal provides a very natural feel.

On the other hand, closed horseshoe and complete palate are not good treatment options because-

1. Both of them can interfere with phonetics.

2. Patient does not have torus in palate.
3. Soft tissue reactions like inflammation and hyperplasia is more in complete palate than single
broad palatal major connector.
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Question 4

A patient came to you who had a periodontal surgery and have large
edentulous space. What type of connector you will select and why?

Answer: There are two types of connectors we can give the patient. They are-

1. Closed horseshoe major connector

2. Complete palate

But I will prefer Closed horseshoe major connector. Because-

1. The patient had a periodontal surgery. That means the remaining natural teeth in his oral
cavity are periodontally weak and his periodontal health is not so well. So, we need to get
enough retention and support from the palate. But the compete palate will cause more soft
tissue inflammation and hyperplasia as it covers the whole palate.
2. He has a large edentulous area.
3. If any tooth will be lost in future, this major connector can be relined.

Question 5

Why will you choose Co-Cr alloy to make a major connector?

Answer: I choice Co-Cr alloy to make a major connector. The reasons are-

a) This alloy is rigid and strong in thin section.

b) It allows a wide variation in construction of major connector.
c) Co-Cr alloy can be finished to high polish.
d) This alloy has excellent life span.
e) It is corrosion resistant.
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Question 6

What is minor connector? Write down the functions of minor connector.

Answer: Minor connector is defined as,” The connecting link between the major connector or
base of a removable partial denture and other units of the prosthesis, such as clasps, indirect
retainers and rests.”

Functions of minor connector:

1. It connects the major connector to other parts like denture base, clasps, indirect retainers and
rests.
2. It transmits stresses evenly to all components so that there is no concentration of load at any
single point.
3. It transmits the forces acting on the prosthesis to the edentulous ridge and the remaining
natural teeth.

Question 7

Mention the name of an alloy which is commonly used for making major
connector and why this alloy is used commonly?

Answer: Co-Cr alloy is commonly used for making major connector.

The reasons are-

a) This alloy is rigid and strong in thin section.

b) It allows a wide variation in construction of major connector.
c) Co-Cr alloy can be finished to high polish.
d) This alloy has excellent life span.
e) It is corrosion resistant.
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Question 8

A patient is wearing removable partial denture. In recall visit after 6 months

you got secondary caries and calculus. Discuss the possible causes and give the
solution.

Answer: The possible causes of developing secondary caries and calculus after wearing RPD for
6 months are-

a) Poor oral hygiene of the patient.

b) Lack of proper denture care.
c) Improper marginal adaptation causes instability of the RPD. This permit the entrance of
saliva, food particles and microorganisms at the interface which increases the probability of
formation of secondary caries.

The solutions are-

a) Proper counseling of the patient about oral hygiene maintenance.

b) Proper education about cleaning and maintaining the RPD should be given.
c) Relining of the RPD for proper marginal adaptation.
d) If possible, reconstruction of the RPD.
e) Scaling should be done to remove the calculus.
f) Restorative treatment of the secondary caries after taking a radiograph.