RPD Major Connectors

Major Connectors for RPD for upper and lower jaws
Done by : Ola Qatu , Weam Faroun
Third year dental students At Alquds University

2. Acomponentofpartialdenturethatconnects
partsofpartialremovableprosthesisatoneside
ofarchwiththoseonoppositeside.
It’saunittowhichallotherpartsareattached
directlyorindirectly.

3. Unification:
*partialdentureactsas
oneunit
*connectsvariousparts
Stressdistribution:
distributesfunctional
loadstobothteeth&
mucosa

4. Crossarchstabilization(counterleverage)
bracingelementsononesideofthearch
providingstabilitytotheother.

5. Rigidity:
-chrome-cobalt>gold
alloys;cast>wrought
-1/2round>1/2pear
shaped>flatbars
*toincreaserigidity:
-Increasethebulkasthe
lengthincreases
-corrugatelinguoplateor
rugaeareas

6. NonInterferencewithsofttissues:
-shouldnotenterundercutareas
*avoidbychangingpathofinsertion
*byusingblockout

7. -avoidterminatingonfreegingivalmargin
*bordersofmaxillaryconnectorshouldbe
placedaminimumof6mmawayfromand
paralleltothegingivalmargins.
*borderofmandibularconnectorshouldbe
locatedaminimumof4mmbelowthegingival
margin.

8. -avoid terminating on hard structures such as
the mid palatal suture or mandibular tori.
-avoid terminating on lingual frenum & the
movable soft palate.

9. Minimizefoodimpaction.
Unobtrusive:
-lineanglesandedgesshouldbesmoothand
rounded
-bordersshouldnotinterferewithspeech

10. Barshaped:
Itislong,narrow,andthick.
Incrosssectionbarsare½round,½ovalor½
pearinshape.
Thethicknessofabarshouldbeatleast6
gauge(4.11mm)atitsgreatestdimension.
Theminimumwidthofabaris4mm,butthey
mustusuallybewiderthanthisforadequate
rigidity.

11. Strap(plateshaped):
Itislong,wideandthin.
Thewidthofastraporplatevariesfrom6-8
mmtotheentirelengthofthe
palate.
Thethickestportionofstrapsorplatesis22-24
gauge(0.64-0.51mm).

12. LingualBar
LingualPlate
Sublingualbar
Lingualbarwithcingulumbar(continuousbar)
Labialbar
Swinglockdesign

13. LingualBar:

14. Mostcommoninmandible(usewhenever
possible).
Shape:
flatontissueside,convexortear-dropon
tongueside(1/2pearshape,withthinedge
towardteeth).
Size:
occluso-gingivalwidth4to6mm,thicknessl.5
to2mm.

15. Position:
locatedabovemovingtissuebutasfarbelow
thegingivaltissueaspossible(3-4mmormore
belowFGM).
*Patientliftstongueactivatesfloorofmouth:
measurefromtipofprobetofreegingival
marginormakeimpressionwithliftedtongue&
measureoncast.
*Eliminatesimpingementwaxspacer(relief)
placedundermajorconnector.

16. Indication:
thelingualbarshouldbeusedformandibular
RPDwheresufficientspaceexistsbetweenthe
slightlyelevatedalveolarlingualsulcusandthe
lingualgingivaltissue(morethan8mm).
Contraindications:
•remainingnaturalanteriorteethseverely
tiltedlingually
•interferinglingualtori
•highattachmentoflingualfrenum
•interferencewithelevationofthefloorofthe
mouthduringfunctionalmovements(<8mm)

17. Lingual Plate :

18. Lingualbarwithextensionovercingulumof
anteriorteeth(usedwherealingualbarcannot
beused).
Inferiorborderattheascertainedheightofthe
alveolarlingualsulcuswhenthepatient's
tongueisslightlyelevated.
Restateachendoflingualplate.
Itpreventsforcesbeingdirectedfacially.
Easierdenturetoothadditionthanbar.

19. Indications:
highfloorofthemouth(<8mm)
prominentlingualfrenum
lingualtori
theresidualridgesinClassIarchhave
undergonesuchverticalresorbtionthattheywill
offeronlyminimalresistancetohorizontal
rotationsofthedenturethroughitsbases.
forusingperiodontallyweakenedteethto
furnishsupporttoprosthesisandtohelp
resisthorizontalrotationofthedistalextension
typeofdenture(actasperiodontalsplint).

20. Mandibular Lingual Bar with Continuous
Bar (Cingulum Bar)
(Kennedy Bar, Double Lingual Bar)
Lingualbarwithsecondarybaroncingulaof
anteriorteeth.
Secondarybaractsasindirectretainer.

21. Indications:
Whenalinguoplatesotherwiseindicatedbutthe
axialalignmentofanteriorteethissuchthat
excessiveblockoutofinterproximalundercuts
wouldberequired.
When widediastemaexistsbetween
mandibularanteriorteethandalinguoplate
wouldobjectionablydisplaymetalinafrontal
view.

22. Wheneveritisnecessaryforthepalatal
connectortomakecontactwiththeteethfor
support,definitetoothsupportedbydefiniterest
seatsshouldbeprovided.
Terminate6.0mmormorefromfreegingival
marginwhenpossible.

23. Anterior-PosteriorPalatalStrap
Palatalplate-typeconnector
Singlepalatalstrap
U-shapedpalatalconnector(AnteriorPalatal
Strap)
Singlepalatalbar
Anterior-posteriorpalatalbar

24. Anterior-Posterior Palatal Strap
:

25. maximumrigidity-minimumbulk
usedinmostcases-especiallytoruspalatinus.
Indications:
ClassIandIIarchesinwhichexcellent
abutmentandresidualridgesupportexists,
anddirectretentioncanbemadeadequate
withouttheneedforindirectretention.

26. LongedentulousspansinClassII,modification
1arches.
ClassIVarches.
Inoperablepalataltorithatdonotextend
posteriorlytothejunctionofthehardandsoft
palates.
Contraindication:
whenthereisaninoperablemaxillarytorusthat
extendsposteriorlytothesoftpalate.

27. Anterior-Posterior Palatal Bar :

28. Anarrow(A-P)variationofanterior-posterior
palatalstrapdoublepalatalbarconnector,
requiresgreaterbulkforrigidity.
Moreobjectionabletothepatient.
Strapconnectorsprovidegreaterdistributionof
stresses.

29. Palatal Plate Type Connector :

30. Coversonehalformoreofthehardpalate
Maximumtissuesupport
Connectorofchoiceinlongdistalextension
cases
Sixorlessanteriorteethremain
Greaterstabilityandstressdistribution
Notusedwithtorus
Increasesretention

31. Connectorshould:
befabricatedofuniformlythinmetal
haveaccurateanatomicreproductionofthe
rugae
improves strength and rigidity 
coversameareaascompletedenture
posteriorly
havelargesurfaceareaofmucosalcontact
improves potential for retention 

32. Forms:
Acastplatebetweentwoormoreedentulous
areas.
Acompleteorpartialcastplatethatextends
posteriorlytothejunctionofthehardandsoft
palate.
Ananteriorpalatalconnectorwithaprovision
forextendinganacrylicresindenturebase
posteriorly.

33. Indications:
Abutmentsareperiodontallyinvolved
Maximumstressdistributionisneeded
Flabbytissue
Shallowpalatalvault

34. Single Palatal Strap :

35. usuallyuseforClassIII&IVcases.
shouldbe8mmwideorapproximatelyaswide
asthecombinedwidthofamaxillarypremolar
andfirstmolar.
confinedwithinanareaboundedbythefour
principalrests.
neveruseincasesinvolvingdistalextensions
sinceitmustbemadebulkyforrigidity.
reliefmayberequiredoverbonymidline.
notusedwithtorus.

36. Palatal Bar :
narrowanterio-posteriorly.
thickoccluso-gingivally.
palatalbarobjectionableduetobulk.

37. U-Shaped Palatal Connector
“ Horse Shoe”

38. poorconnector
neveruseunlessabsolutelynecessary
requiresbulkintherugaearea(wherethe
tonguerequiresfreedom)forrigidity
tooflexible

39. allowsmovementattheposterior
traumatictotheresidualridge
useonlywheretorusprohibitsotherconnector
&extendstotheposteriorlimitofthehard
palate

40. Chapter 5 Major and Minor Connectors,
McCracken's Removable Partial
Prosthodontics, 11th edition.


41. Ola Qatu
We’amFaroun
Third year Dental
students at AQU