Surveying for

RPD
BY

DR AYSHA SADAF
FCPS , BDS (GOLD MEDLIST)
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR PROSTHODONTICS
 SURVEYING 4

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Dr. Aysha Sadaf
Surveying is the science and art of making all essential
measurements to determine the relative position of points or

physical and cultural details above, on, or beneath the

surface of the Earth, and

to depict them in a usable form, or to establish the position of

points or details.

American Congress on Surveying and Mapping (ACSM)

 SURVEYING 5

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Dr. Aysha Sadaf
Surveying is the science and art of making all essential
measurements to determine the relative position of points or

physical and cultural details above, on, or beneath the surface

of the Earth, and

to depict them in a usable form, or to establish the position of

points or details.

American Congress on Surveying and Mapping (ACSM)

Dental surveying 6

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Dr. Aysha Sadaf
It is the procedure of locating and analyzing the contour and
position of abutment teeth

and associated structures before designing RPD.

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ABUTMENT
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Dental surveying
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Dental surveying
Invention of dental surveyor 10

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Dr. Aysha Sadaf
Before the invention of the dental surveyor, dentists evaluated axial
contours and undercuts of teeth by visual survey of dental casts.

This was accomplished by holding a cast at arms length while

viewing it with one eye closed.

Then using the other hand to hold a sharp pencil perpendicular to the
occlusal plane.

The practitioner would pass a pencil lead over the acial surfaces of
the teeth to develop a survey line at the greatest diameter of each
tooth.
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Invention of dental surveyor
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Dr. Aysha Sadaf
EYE BALLING TO DETERMINE THE
RELATIVE POSITION OF THE ABUTMENT
TEETH
History of dental surveying 13

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Dr. Aysha Sadaf
 Dental surveyor was first introduced to the dental
profession in 1920.

a. The Chayes parallelometer (circa 1920) was not a surveying instrument. IT was intended to ensure the
parallelism of the chayes precision attachment system.

b. The Chayes parallelometer system included a handpiece that could prepare 2 surfaces simultaneously.
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Dr. Aysha Sadaf

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Dr. Aysha Sadaf

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Dental surveyor
DENTAL SURVEYOR

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Dr. Aysha Sadaf
 An instrument used to determine the relative parallelism of
two or more surfaces of the abutment teeth or other parts of
the dental cast .
 Parts 19

of a Dental Surveyor

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Dr. Aysha Sadaf
B-Vertical Upright Column
C-Cross Arm with Spindle
Housing
D-The Vertical Spindle With Tool
Holder
E- Screw To Lock The Spindle
F- Tool adaptor Holder
G- Surveying tool holder
J- Model Clamp
K- Model table lock nut
L- Model rotating ball & socket
M- Ball rotating ring
N- Tool Rack
O- Storage Compartment
P- Model lock nut
Parts of a Surveyor
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 Surveying Table
 Parts of a Surveyor 21

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Surveying Arm
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Surveying Tools

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1- Analyzing Rods
2- Carbon Marker
3- Undercut Gauge
4- Wax Trimmer
Parts of a Surveyor 23

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 Surveying Tools
 Analyzing Rod
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Analyzing Rod
Parts of a Surveyor 25

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Dr. Aysha Sadaf
Surveying Tools
Carbon Markers
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Carbon Marker
Parts of a Surveyor 27

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Dr. Aysha Sadaf
Surveying Tools . 01” . 02” . 03”

Undercut Gauges
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Undercut Gauge
Purposes of Surveying 33

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Dr. Aysha Sadaf
1. To identify the modifications of oral structures that
are necessary to fabricate a RPD.
2. To identify proximal tooth surfaces that are, or need to
be, made parallel so that they act as guiding planes
during placement and removal.

3. To locate and measure areas of the teeth that may be used for
retention.
Purposes of surveying 34

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Dr. Aysha Sadaf
1. To identify the modifications of oral structures that are necessary to
fabricate a RPD
 Purpose of surveying 35

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Dr. Aysha Sadaf
2. To identify proximal tooth surfaces that are, or need to be, made
parallel so that they act as guiding planes during placement and
removal
Purpose of surveying 36

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Dr. Aysha Sadaf
3. To locate and measure areas of the
teeth that may be used for retention.
Purposes of Surveying 37

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Dr. Aysha Sadaf
4. To identify determine whether tooth and bony areas of
interference will need to be eliminated surgically or by
selecting a different path of placement.

5. To determine the most suitable path of placement that will

permit locating retainers and artificial teeth to the best
esthetic advantage.

6. To permit an accurate charting of the mouth preparation to be

made
Purposes of Surveying 38

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Dr. Aysha Sadaf
7. To delineate the height of contour on abutment
teeth

8. To locate areas of undesirable tooth

undercut that are to be avoided, eliminated, or blocked out.

8. To record the cast position in relation to the selected path of

placement for future reference.
 Dr. Aysha Sadaf
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Some Important Terms

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Height of Contour
& Undercut
 Height of Contour (HOC) 41

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Dr. Aysha Sadaf
A line encircling a
tooth, designating
its greatest
circumference at a
selected position
determined by a
dental surveyor.
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Height of contour

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Dr. Aysha Sadaf
• Suprabulge

• Undercut =
• Infrabulge
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Non-undercut Area

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Dr. Aysha Sadaf
u t here
d er c
Un
Types of undercuts 45

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Tooth Undercuts

Soft Tissues or
bony Undercuts(on
lingual side of ridge)
Angle of Cervical Convergence 46

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Dr. Aysha Sadaf
An angle viewed
between a vertical
rod contacting an
abutment tooth
and the axial
surface of the
abutment cervical
to the height of
contour.
Direct Retainers 47

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Dr. Aysha Sadaf
Buccal
Retention
Composed of:
rest
retentive element
reciprocal (bracing) element
minor connector
Lingual
Rule: Retentive tip should 48

usually be designed to be placed

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in the gingival 1/3
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Path of Insertion
& Removal
 Path of Insertion 50

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Paththat the prosthesis is
Placed/removed
Usually a single path
Path of Insertion (P.I) 51

The Direction in Which a Restoration/

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Dr. Aysha Sadaf
Prosthesis Moves From the Point of Initial
Contact With the Supporting Teeth to the
Terminal Resting Position Where the Occlusal
Rests Are Seated and the Denture Base Is
in Contact With the Tissue

Path of Removal (P.R)

Reverse of the Path of Insertion *
 58
Factors Determining Path of
Insertion & Removal

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Dr. Aysha Sadaf
 Guiding planes
 Retentive areas
 Interference
 Esthetics
Guiding Planes 59

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Dr. Aysha Sadaf
Two or more
vertically
parallel flat
surfaces of
abutment
teeth shaped
to direct a
prosthesis
Effects of Guiding Planes on Retention
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& Stability

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Maintains
Retention
Effects of Guiding Planes On 62
Retention & Stability

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Minimizes Need for
Retention
 Guiding Planes Functions
63
 toensure passage of the rigid

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Dr. Aysha Sadaf
parts of prosthesis past
existing areas of interference.
#
 to control & limit directions
of movement of RPD as it is
being inserted, removed or
while in function.
 to ensure predictable clasp
assembly function, including
retention and stabilization *
Effectiveness of Guiding Planes 64

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Dr. Aysha Sadaf
Most effective when:
Parallel
to each other
More than one common axial surface
Effectiveness of Guideplanes 65

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Most effective when:
Directly opposing each other
Effectiveness of Guideplanes 66

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Mosteffective
when:
 Prepared on several teeth
 Cover a large surface area
(proximal & lingual)
Prep. Of Guiding Planes 67

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Prepare Guiding Planes First *
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Dr. Aysha Sadaf

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Use Finger Rest
Burs 69

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 8837K-014
Long Cylindrical Carbide
or Diamond (8837K 014)
Guiding Plane Dimensions * 70

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Dr. Aysha Sadaf
Round
Round
2-4
2-4 mm
mm Axial
Axial Line
Line
1/2-1/3
1/2-1/3 Angles
Angles
height
height
 71
Guiding Plane Dimensions *

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Dr. Aysha Sadaf
Use
Use short
short guideplanes
guideplanes on
on Class
Class II &
& IIII
Use
Use long
long guideplanes
guideplanes on
on Class
Class III
III &
& IV IV
Polish Prepared Surfaces 72

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Dr. Aysha Sadaf
Rubber wheels or
points
If Axial Surface Already Parallel 73
to Path of Insertion?

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NO Preparation !
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Retentive Areas
 Retentive Areas 75

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 Retentive arm should have a different path
of escapement than guiding plane (path of
removal), so retentive arm must be forced to
flex over a convex surface during placement
and removal (retention) *
Optimal Path of Insertion 76

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Dr. Aysha Sadaf
Retentive undercuts equalized
Ideally,retentive arms should oppose
each other on opposite sides of the arch
with fairly even retention *
Retentive Areas 77

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Dr. Aysha Sadaf
To obtain fairly even retention:
change the path of placement to
--

increase or decrease the angle of

cervical convergence of opposing
retentive surfaces of abutment teeth.
OR
--alter flexibility of retentive clasp arm
Optimal Path of Insertion 78

(Interference) *

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Prosthesis must be designed so that it may be placed
and removed without encountering tooth or soft
tissue interference
Interference 79

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Bony prominences and lingually
inclined premolar teeth are the most
common causes of interference to a
lingual bar connector *
Interference 80

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Dr. Aysha Sadaf
If the interference is bilateral, surgery or recontouring of
lingual tooth surfaces, or both, may be unavoidable.

If it is only unilateral, a change in the lateral tilt may

prevent an area of tooth or tissue interference.
Interference 81

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Dr. Aysha Sadaf
Bony undercuts
 to remove them surgically;
 to change the path of placement at
the expense of modifying or
restoring teeth to achieve guiding
planes and retention;
 to design denture bases to prevent
such undercut areas.
Interference 82

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Dr. Aysha Sadaf
Generally, interference that cannot be
eliminated for one reason or another
will take precedence over the factors of
retention and guiding planes.
 Optimal Path of Insertion 83

(Esthetics)

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Dr. Aysha Sadaf
Esthetics
Minimize display
of clasps, metal
components *
Parts of a Surveyor
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 Surveying Table
Parts of a Surveyor
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 Surveying Table
Esthetics 86

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 Estheticsdictates
the choice of path
selected only when
missing anterior
teeth must be
replaced with RPD
*
 Parts 87

of a Dental Surveyor

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Dr. Aysha Sadaf
B-Vertical Upright Column
C-Cross Arm with Spindle
Housing
D-The Vertical Spindle With Tool
Holder
E- Screw To Lock The Spindle
F- Tool adaptor Holder
G- Surveying tool holder
J- Model Clamp
K- Model table lock nut
L- Model rotating ball & socket
M- Ball rotating ring
N- Tool Rack
O- Storage Compartment
P- Model lock nut
 Parts of a Surveyor 88

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Surveying Arm
 89

Surveying Tools

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1- Analyzing Rods
2- Carbon Marker
3- Undercut Gauge
4- Wax Trimmer
Parts of a Surveyor 90

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 Surveying Tools
 Analyzing Rod
 Dr. Aysha Sadaf
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Analyzing Rod
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Surveying Tools

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Dr. Aysha Sadaf
1- Analyzing Rods
2- Carbon Marker
3- Undercut Gauge
4- Wax Trimmer
Parts of a Surveyor 93

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Surveying Tools
Carbon Markers
 Dr. Aysha Sadaf
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Carbon Marker
Parts of a Surveyor 95

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Surveying Tools . 01” . 02” . 03”

Undercut Gauges
 Dr. Aysha Sadaf
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Undercut Gauge
 Dr. Aysha Sadaf
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Undercut Gauges
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Dr. Aysha Sadaf

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Undercut Gauges
 Dr. Aysha Sadaf
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Undercut Gauge
Parts of a Surveyor 10
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Surveying Tools
Wax Trimmer
 Dr. Aysha Sadaf
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Wax Trimmer
 Dental Surveyor 102

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Ney Surveyor Jelenko Surveyor
PROCEDURES of SURVEYING DIAGNOSTIC
CAST 103

1- Placement of the Cast

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Dr. Aysha Sadaf
2- Altering the Cast Position Anteroposteriorly
To Provide Parallel Proximal Surfaces That
May Act As Guiding Planes
3- Tilt the Cast Laterally Until Equal Retentive
Areas Exist on the Principal Abutments
4- Eliminate Areas of Interference
5- Permits a More Esthetic Placement of
Clasp Arms Than the Other.
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The Location of the Undercut Area Can Be
Changed by Changing the Tilting
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Dr. Aysha Sadaf
B

Cast at zero tilt. Creation of undercut by tilting cast

Without guiding planes, Clasps designed are ineffective

when restoration is subject to dislodging forces in
occlusal direction.
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4- Eliminate Areas of Interference by

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Dr. Aysha Sadaf
Reshaping Tooth Surfaces, Surgery,
Block-out, Restoration, or Change in
lateral Tilt if Unilateral Interference
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0

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5- Permits a More Esthetic Placement
of Clasp Arms Than the Other.
 111

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A Cast in a Tilted
Relationship
Represents a
Path of
Placement
Toward the Side
of the Cast That
Is Tilted Upward
FINAL PATH OF 11
2
PLACEMENT

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Dr. Aysha Sadaf
The anteroposterior and lateral
position of the cast, in relation
to the vertical arm of the
surveyor that best satisfies all
four factors: guiding planes,
retention, interference, and
esthetics. *
Recording Relation of Cast to Surveyor *113

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Dr. Aysha Sadaf
Tripoding is
Performed While
Cast is Still
Mounted on the
Survey Table
Without
Changing the Tilt
to Preserve the
Established Cast
Tilt
 Dr. Aysha Sadaf
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Tripoding the Cast *

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Dr. Aysha Sadaf
 All proposed mouth changes
(prep. of proximal surfaces,
reduction of buccal & lingual
surfaces, & prep. of rest
seats) should be indicated on
the diagnostic cast in red
pencil, with the exception of
restorations to be done. *
 11
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Dr. Aysha Sadaf
· McCracken’s Removable
Prosthodontics, 11th Edition
2005 by McGivney GP, Carr
AB. Chapter 11 (Surveying)
· Dalhousie continual education