BIOMECHANICS OF ABUTMENTS SUPPORTING REMOVABLE PARTIAL DENTURES UNDER UNILATERAL LOADING

Abstract

Statement of problem. In distal extension removable partial denture, the preservation of health of abutment teeth is very important, but abutment teeth are subjected to unfavorable stress under unilateral loading specially. Purpose. The purpose of this study was to investigate the biomechanical effects of mandibular removable partial dentures with various prosthetic designs under unilateral loading, using strain gauge analysis. Material and methods. Artificial teeth of both canines were anchored bilaterally in a mandibular edentulous model made of resin. Bilateral distal extension removable partial dentures with splinted and unsplinted abutments were fabricated. Group 1: Clasp-retained mandibular removable partial denture with unsplinted abutments Group 2: Clasp-retained mandibular removable partial denture with splinted abutments by 6-unit bridge. Group 3: Bar-retained mandibular removable partial denture Strain gauges were bonded on the labial plate of the mandibular resin model, approximately 2 mm dose to the abutments. Two unilateral vertical experimental loadings (30N and 100N) were applied subsequently via miniature load cell that were placed at mandibular left first molar region. Strain measurements were performed and simultaneously monitored from a computer connected to data acquisition system. For within-group evaluations, t-test was used to compare the strain values and for between-group comparisons, a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used and Tukey test was used as post hoc comparisons. Results. The strain values of group 1 and 2 were tensile under loadings. In contrast, strain values of group 3 were compressive in nature. Strain values increased as the applied load in increased from 30N to 100N (p<.05) except for right side in group 1. Under 30N loading, in left side, group 1 showed higher strain values than groups 2 and 3 in absolute quantity (p<.05). And group 2 showed higher strain values than group 1 (p<.05). In right side, group 1 and 2 showed higher strain values than group 3 in absolute quantity (p<.05). Under 100N loading in left side, group 1 showed higher strain values than groups 2 and 3 in absolute quantity (p<.05). And group 2 showed higher strain values than group 1 (p<.05). In right side, group 1 and 2 showed higher strain values than group 3 in absolute quantity (p<.05). Under 30N loading, group 2 and 3 showed higher strain values in right side than in left side. Under 100N loading, right side strain values were higher than left side ones for all groups. Conclusion. Splinting of two isolated abutments by bridge reduced the peri-abutment strain in comparison with unsplinted abutments under unilateral loading. Bar-retained removable partial denture showed the lowest strain of three groups, and compressive nature.