Flexible Partial Dentures - A hope for the Challenged Mouth.

ABSTRACT

The strong, flexible nature of flexible denture material is perfectly suited to the variety of natural conditions in the mouth, simplifying design and enabling the flexible nylon resin to act as a built-in stress-breaker that provides superior function and stress distribution. Partially edentulous patients with challenging conditions like abused ridges, allergy to denture resins, undercuts due to angulated remaining teeth, cancerous lesions and cleft palate pose a great challenge for the fabrication of a successful removable partial denture. Flexible denture offers a simpler and cost effective treatment for the oral rehabilitation of such cases. Flexible nature of the material allows shifting of the burden of force control from the design features of the appliance to the material properties of the base material. The clinical procedures are simple not requiring any expertise. A cast model prepared from a conventional alginate impression is sent to the laboratory that fabricates the desired prosthesis. The stress distribution of the partial denture is accomplished by flexibility of the major connector, behaving as a stress-breaker. The tissue-supported saddles float on the edentulous ridge independently, without placing a stress load on the abutment teeth. In the long term, the flexibility of the complete or partial denture also appears to act as a tissue conditioner. Flexible partial dentures certainly offer advantages over conventional partials by way of superior aesthetics, better function, durable material and longevity of the prosthesis.