Interim Removable Partial Dentures
An interim removable partial denture (RPD) is sometimes made prior to making a definitive removable
partial denture. The patient may wear the interim RPD for a very short period or for a more extended
period of years, depending on the situation.
Indications:
1. Large pulps may preclude the use of fixed partial dentures until a later time.
2. The clinical crowns may be short without any usable undercuts (in children or adolescents, the teeth
may not be fully erupted).
3. Children - Arches still growing and a permanent prosthesis would not fit for long.
4. Temporary space maintenance for missing teeth in esthetic areas (congenital, caries, trauma)
5. Prevent extrusion, migration of adjacent/opposing dentition
6. Temporary time or financial constraints
7. Temporary improvement of esthetics after sudden loss of teeth, before sufficient healing has
occurred to fabricate a permanent prosthesis (accidents, after extractions)
8. Transitional Denture: a removable partial denture used as a transition to a complete denture when:
a. all or some teeth need to be extracted but can’t be immediately (medically compromised patient)
b. patient is not psychologically prepared to loose all the teeth at one time
9. Treatment Denture: a removable partial denture used to improve a condition before a definitive
denture can be made. The types of treatment may include:
a. Tissue Conditioning
- Papillary hyperplasia (massage, brushing, with or without surgery)
- Acute inflammation (increase tissue adaptation and redistribute the stress)
- may use the existing denture or a new treatment denture may be made
b. Implant healing
- A treatment RPD may be necessary for esthetics and/or function
- An existing RPD or a new denture may be made
- A soft liner is placed so that the fixtures can heal unloaded
c. Alteration of Vertical Dimension / Occlusal Scheme
- Important use to determine how the patient will react to the changes (TMD)
- may be required in order to use an occlusal splint
d. Surgical Splint
- After the removal of palatal tori, etc.
Interim Removable Partial Dentures - 94
Fabrication:
1. Make preliminary impressions
2. Pour diagnostic casts, survey, design a definitive partial denture
3. Optional Step (preferred)
- Prepare guide planes, rest seats that will be used in the definitive RPD
- Make new alginate impression, pour, survey, select path of insertion, tripodize
4. Maxillo-mandibular relations (facebow, occlusal vertical dimension, centric record if there are
unstable contacts, protrusive record)
5. Articulate the casts
6. Draw design for interim partial denture
Interim Partial Denture Design:
Clasps (Wrought wire 0.02”)
- Circumferential
- Adams clasps
- Ball clasps
Bracing
- The lingual/palatal acrylic of the RPD provides bracing through contact with the teeth at the heights of
contour of the teeth
Rests
- Wrought wire can be bent on itself and/or flattened and placed into the rest seats
- Acrylic may be used over cingulum rest seats
- If longer term use is expected, cast rests and bracing arms can be embedded in the acrylic
Major Connectors
- Full palatal coverage increases strength and stability
- Generally extend the denture to at least the first molar for stability
- Retentive clasps are embedded into the acrylic major connector
Prescription writing:
1. Mark any teeth to be extracted on the cast and write the teeth number on the prescription, draw a
line where the cast to where the cast should be surgerized
2. Survey the cast and mark height of contour and retention areas (0.02”)
3. Indicate type of retentive clasp, rest and bracing.
4. Indicate where rests, retention arms and bracing are to be placed, state tooth # and surface
5. Draw the outline of the denture on the cast
6. Identify the shade and mould of teeth selected
7. State the type of occlusion required
Laboratory Steps: To improve results, interim partial dentures should be sent to the lab for three
distinct procedures:
1. Blockout & duplication of casts, fabrication of record bases & occlusion rims. The lab will return these
for you to make jaw relations records and mount casts
2. Setting of teeth. The lab will return the partial dentures for a full wax try-in
3. At the final lab phase, the technicians will place retainers, scribe post dam, process
