DENTURE BASE

The denture base is the part of the denture, which rests on the
foundation tissues and to which artificial teeth are attached.
The denture base helps in transferring occlusal stresses to the
supporting oral structures.

Types of denture bases:

1. Bounded partial denture bases
Bounded partial denture bases covers an edentulous span
between two abutment teeth. The base may restore a
short span or a long span edentulous area.
2. Free-end partial bases (distal extension base)
The base bounded by a natural tooth only on one side,
while the other side is free. This type is sometimes called
distal extension base
 Function of the denture base:
1. Carries the artificial teeth
2. Transfers occlusal stresses to the supporting oral structures
and provides stimulation by massage of the underlying
tissues of the residual ridge.
3. Provides support in distal extension dentures and long span
bounded denture.
4. Provides denture retention for distal extension dentures by
physical means
5. Provides denture bracing against horizontal movement
when extended buccally.
6. Provides stabilization against tipping of the distal extension
dentures
7. The denture base and artificial teeth serve to prevent
migration and over eruption of the remaining teeth.
Denture base materials:
May be constructed of:
1. Metals: chrome cobalt alloy, gold or stainless steel. Chrome
cobalt alloy is most commonly used alloy. It provides the
needed rigidity for removal partial dentures even in thin
section and it ha
2. Nonmetal as acrylic resin
3. Combined metal and acrylic resin. Denture acrylic attached
to metallic denture framework through metallic minor
connectors.
 Advantages of metal bases as compared to
resin bases:
1. Metal bases are more rigid than resin bases even in
thinner section
2. Are less bulky
3. Greater thermal conductivity
4. More hygienic as the fitting surface is polished and
non-porous
5. Metal bases are indicated in short span bounded
cases
Disadvantages:
6. Metal bases are difficult to rebase or reline when
ridge resorption occurs.
7. They are difficult to repair
8. The color of metal bases does not simulate the
natural appearance or oral tissues.
Combined metallic and acrylic resin bases in the
following condition:
1. Free-end saddle cases as in kennedy class I, II and IV
and in class III cases having long edentulous spans to
facilitate future relining.
Relining is required to compensate for bone
resorption and loss of support, which frequently
occurs in this cases.
2. Patients vulnerable to increased rate of bone loss as
diabetic patients or patients on steroid theraby.
3. Cases with extreme bone loss : the presence of
acrylic resin is necessary to restore the original
contour of the ridge giving more satisfactory results
than metal bases
Acrylic resin bases are attached to
metallic denture framework by a
minor connector designed.
It made in the form of an open
latticework (ladder-like pattern) or
in closed meshwork
2. Non-metallic, acrylic resin denture bases Indication of acrylic RPD:
It considered as temporary partial dentures. It is made of 1. When age and time factors may prohibit the
acrylic denture base, artificial teeth and wrought wire clasps construction of the definitive prosthesis.
Advantages: 2. During the healing process after extraction until the
1. Esthetically acrylic resin is satisfactory and looks better in permanent restoration is made.
the mouth due to its pink color 3. Cases with extreme bone loss to neseccary restore
2. Light in weight the original contour of the ridge.
3. Easy to reline, rebase or repair. 4. When cost is a prime requisite.
4. Needs simple processing procedures.
Disadvantages:
5. Are weak, brittle and are liable to fracture.
6. Are made bulky
7. Low thermal conductivity
8. Porous in fitting surface, food stagnation
 Metallic base Acrylic base Properties

relining relining Relining

Thermal conductivity

Accuracy and retention

Cleaning

Weight and thickness

cost

Volunteer to fracture

Esthetic
 Denture base extension:
Maximum coverage of the edentulous ridge is always desirable to allow
greatest area of bone to share in resisting the occlusal stresses exerted during
mastication.
This helps in decreasing the force per unit area and keeps the forces within the
physiologic tissue tolerance.
a) Antero-posterior extension
- In bounded spaces: it is determined by the abutment teeth.
- In free-end spaces: the base extends from the abutment to cover the
retromolar pad in the lower arch and the tuberosity in the upper.
a) Bucally: the flange should extend to the mucosal reflection (vestibular). The
labial flange is sometimes omitted for esthetic reasons.
b) Lingually: the flange of the lower denture base should extend to the full depth
of the lingual sulcus as permitted by the muscle function
c) The polished surface can he shaped into a concave form, which is important
for the retention and stability of the denture.
Relationship of denture base to abutment
The ideal relationship between the denture base carrying the
artificial teeth and the adjacent abutment should either be:
1. Close contact between the denture and the proximal surface
of the abutment. In this condition relieving the gingival margin
is necessary to avoid its traumatization.
2. Open contact between artificial teeth carried by the denture
base and the abutment above the contact point allowing
enough space between them to create a cleansable area.
 
On the other hand improper contact between the denture
and the abutment tooth leaving only a small space between
the neck of the abutment tooth and the artificial tooth is
undesirable. This small space is difficult to clean predisposing
to caries, gingivitis and pocket formation.