Reducing stress transmitted to edentulous areas

Functional impression

An accurately made functional impression enhances the support of edentulous areas, reducing the movement of the base that could generate leverage effects on the abutment teeth. This ensures that the occlusal contacts are maintained, allowing for the distribution of forces between natural and artificial teeth.

The stimulation provided by a well-fitting denture base contributes to the maintenance of mucosal health in the edentulous area. The amount of movement in the denture base, influenced by masticatory forces, will be less compared to mucosa with higher resilience, leading to a reduction in the amount of stress generated on the supporting tissues.

Maximum coverage of the residual ridges

The denture base must fully cover the supporting tissues of the existing ridge and appropriately adapt to the underlying mucosa in order to aid in direct retention through the use of adhesion and cohesion forces. Cohesion is the inherent attractive force between the salivary molecules, whereas adhesion is the force that attracts the denture base to the tissues. Although, due to the presence of teeth, it is not possible to achieve as effective a peripheral seal at the borders of a partial denture as in a complete denture, atmospheric pressure still contributes, albeit minimally, to retention. Furthermore, as the surface area covered increases, the amount of stress per unit area decreases.

Relining and rebasing

Since resorption of the supporting bone structure is an ongoing process after tooth extraction, dentures may cause increased stress over time due to their altered fit, leading to a disrupted relationship with the supporting tissues. Therefore, during the use of RPDs, it is essential to monitor the relationship with the supporting tissues and perform relining and rebasing procedures when necessary.