A review of 243 errors possible during the fabrication of a removable partial denture: part I.

Everyone who participates in any step of the fabrication of a removable partial denture must share in the success or failure of the restoration. Some seemingly innocuous deviations can be accumulative and cause serious problems, so everyone should review the procedures that they use on a regular basis. Parts I through III of this article present a personal and generic (but by no means comprehensive) list of errors that can occur when a removable partial denture is fabricated. Results that can be attributed to these errors are identified, and a possible solution for each error is described. This information is useful to the entire dental team: the dentist, dental assistant, office manager, and dental technician. The articles also include 18 notes that may be beneficial to personnel in the office and/or in the laboratory.

A review of 243 errors possible during the fabrication of a removable partial denture: part II.

In Part II of this series, possible errors 72 through 168, all of which may be committed during the fabrication of a removable partial denture, are presented. Suggestions for avoiding the problems and solutions for correcting them are described.

A review of 243 errors possible during the fabrication of a removable partial denture: part III.

In Part III of this series, possible errors 169 through 243, all of which may be committed during the fabrication of a removable partial denture, are presented. Suggestions for avoiding the problems and solutions for correcting them are described.

Preparing teeth to receive a removable partial denture.

The success or failure of a removable partial denture is dependent on many factors. To achieve success, the practitioner must develop and sequence a sound treatment plan based on clinical and radiographic evidence. These findings must be carefully considered in prosthesis design and mouth preparation. Particular attention must be given to the proper placement of guiding planes and well-made rest seats and the use of surveyed crowns on abutment teeth. This article describes the rationale, importance, and clinical procedures for abutment preparation for removable partial dentures.

A protocol system for testing biohazardous materials in an impact biomechanics research facility.

This article presents a protocol system, comprised of a review process and a series of checklists, that was developed for testing cadaveric tissue in an impact biomechanics research facility. The use of cadaveric tissue may expose personnel to bloodborne pathogens including HIV and hepatitis B, which have been shown to remain virulent in a cadaver for several weeks after death. To minimize exposure risks, the protocol system presented emphasizes initial blood screening to keep infectious tissue from entering the laboratory, and adopts universal precautions to prevent exposure by treating all tissue as though it were infected. All lab employees must read, sign, and demonstrate proficiency in the protocol. Well-developed test procedures for the handling of biohazardous materials along with an annual individual protocol review have proven effective for the past 6 years in minimizing exposure risks.

A simplified procedure for stabilizing pontics.

A simplified technique is described for use when waxing pontics to a fixed partial denture which ensures accurate pontic placement without attaching the pontic to the retainers until late in the fabrication process. This technique allows easy access to the proximal contours and margins of the retainers and to proximal and gingival contours of the pontic while maintaining an accurate occlusal relationship.

Creating a buttonless casting by using preformed wax sprues.

Calculating precisely the amount of metal in a casting has major advantages over traditional methods. Eliminating guesswork permits making a casting without a button, which in turn facilitates the use of a larger percent of new metal with subsequent castings. This article gives details for calculating the amount of metal to be used.

Sterilization of complete dentures with sodium hypochlorite.

It is important to give the patient a denture that is clean and free from cross-contamination. This study was made to determine if Clorox could be used as a rapid, safe, and clinically effective way to sterilize complete dentures. The data obtained from this study indicate that a 5-minute immersion of dentures in undiluted Clorox accomplished sterilization against a variety of microorganisms, including a spore-forming bacteria and C. albicans.

Utilization of cadaver tissue for a scanning electron microscopic study of the insertion of the masseter muscle.

1. The generally poor state of soft tissue preservation that complicates observations by gross dissection and light microscopy posed no hindrance to scanning electron microscopic (SEM) studies of bone surface, because all of the soft tissues are chemically removed. 2. Specific and identifiable surface patterns representing locations of periosteal and fibrous muscle attachments can be readily observed in cadaver tissue with the SEM. 3. SEM observations confirmed earlier literature concerning the extent of periosteal and intraosseus attachments of the masseter muscle. The masseter muscle attached periosteally on the lateral surface of the mandible and along the inferior border. Just above the inferior border, a ridge of intraosseous attachment was noted. 4. The correlation of SEM observation of bone surface patterns with gross dissection and light microscopy demonstrated that SEM can be useful in determining the extent of muscle attachments in cadaver tissue even when the soft tissue is poorly preserved.