January 25th, 2009 by admin

The essential oral functions of appearance, mastication and
The title of this part of the series requires immediate explana-
tion. The term ‘equation’ refers to the balance that must be
speech.
struck between the good and the bad which can arise from the
wearing of RPDs. In this chapter we explore the benefits which
can be conferred on patients by RPDs and, at the same time,
highlight the possible risks of tissue damage that can be associ-
ated with such prostheses.
It is only after this analysis has been completed that the decision
of whether or not to treat a particular patient can be taken. For
example, prosthetic treatment must not begin until it has been
verified that there is a significant reduction in one or more of the
essential oral functions. A simple determination of the number
and position of the remaining teeth is not a sufficient foundation
for making the decision of whether or not to initiate treatment.
If it is indicated, a treatment plan is then devised identifying the
various stages and the most appropriate type of prosthesis.
Every prosthetic treatment is associated with the placement of a
foreign object (the prosthesis) in the mouth of the patient. As a
direct consequence of such placement the burden on the tissues in
the oral cavity will be increased. For example, plaque more readily
accumulates on alloplastic materials than biologic ones. Further-
more, even non-toxic materials will release small amounts of their
components into the oral cavity. To justify prosthetic treatment
and to ensure that it is beneficial to the patient, the need for such
treatment must be established, the patient must be appropriately
motivated, and the dentures properly designed, constructed and
maintained. Thus the initial step in determining if prosthetic
treatment is indicated must always be the assessment of:
•  The patient’s wishes and concerns
• The relevant dental and medical history
• The results of the extra-oral and intra-oral examinations
• Oral hygiene habits and status
Benefits of RPDs

The potential benefits of RPDs which will be considered in this
section are their contribution to the following.
• Appearance
• Speech
• Mastication
• Maintaining the health of the masticatory system:
— preventing undesirable tooth movement
— improving distribution of occlusal load
• Preparation for complete dentures.