Removable partial dentures are indicated in situations when the patient has few remaining teeth in his or her mouth. One does not need to have all the teeth removed so as to wear a denture. Even if one has few healthy teeth in the mouth, the dentist can fabricate the remaining set of teeth . There are several types of RPD's.

Acrylic RPD's

They are the least expensive way of replacing the missing teeth. They are made of acrylic, the same material which is used to make full dentures. The acrylic denture base tends to be brittle, and due to their irregular shape, these partials tend to break frequently, especially those made for the lower arch. The denture base rests only on the gums, and even though they are much more stable than full dentures, they are much less stable than the more permanent RPD's which are "tooth born"


                             


Cast Partials

These are Removable Partial Dentures with cast metal frameworks instead of acrylic base. These type of partial denture offers numerous advantages . Since they sit on the teeth, as well as being attached to them, they are extremely stable and retentive. The metal framework does not contact the gums. Thus, as the gums resorb, this type of partial does not sink with them and rarely requires relines. Because the teeth are altered by the dentist beforehand, there are fewer limitations in the placement of clasps, and they are less likely to be seen than the wrought wire clasps of the treatment partial. Modern frameworks are cast from an extremely strong alloy called chrome cobalt which can be cast very thin and are much less likely to break than the all plastic variety. They are also much less noticeable to the tongue.



                             


The flexible framework RPD's

The most recent advance in dental materials has been the application of nylon-like materials to the fabrication of dental appliances. This material generally replaces the metal, and the pink acrylic denture material used to build the framework for standard removable partial dentures. It is nearly unbreakable, is colored pink like the gums, can be built quite thin, and can form not only the denture base, but the clasps as well. Since the clasps are built to curl around the necks of the teeth, they are practically indistinguishable from the gums that normally surround the teeth.