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Abutment Teeth

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Proper selection of abutment teeth is an important component of removable partial dentures (RPDs) design and should account for the need of abutment teeth to withstand forces (vertical, horizontal and torque) normally directed towards the missing teeth as well as the abutment teeth itself. This essay will focus on the periodontal considerations when selecting abutment teeth for the RPD.
Chronic periodontitis is a slowly progressive inflammatory disease that results in the destruction of periodontium (Armitage and Cullinan, 2010, Shaddox and Walker, 2010). It is characterized by clinical attachment greater than or equal to 5mm and radiographic evidence of alveolar bone loss (Cabanilla, Neely and Hernandez, 2008). Teeth with active periodontal …show more content…

Due to the higher than usual occlusal forces transmitted to the abutment through the prosthesis, clinician must evaluate the abutment teeth carefully .Several studies have reported unfavorable outcomes of abutment teeth compared to that of non-abutment teeth, with the survival rate of abutment teeth reported to be significantly lower than non-abutment teeth (Tada et al., 2013, Wagner and Kern, 2000). A study following a group patients for 5 years found that of the total abutment teeth lost, 42% were due to periodontal disease (Tada et al., 2013). Another study reported tooth loss of 18.8% attributable to periodontal complications (Cabanilla et al., 2008). It is postulated that the horizontal and lateral stress transmitted to the abutment teeth may lead to breakdown of periodontium and increase tooth mobility (Jorge et al., 2006). While there may be disparities in the findings, both studies have shown the possible periodontal complications related to RPDs. It has been shown that RPDs enhance plaque formation and retention especially on tooth surface in direct contact with denture thereby increasing the risk of adverse periodontal reactions (Petridis and Hempton, 2000). This quantitative change in dental biofilm has been shown to be associated with an increased PD and bleeding on probing

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