Removable partial dentures: surveying, design, mouth preparation
Prosthodontics and Crown and Bridge · Dental (BDS)
Tooth explorer
Interactive 3DPeel through enamel, dentin and pulp — then switch to implants, braces or dentures.
Controls
Drag the sliders or type a value — the simulation updates live.
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Study notes
Why is mouth preparation done before the final impression for an RPD? Rest seats (small notches) and guide planes (parallel surfaces) must be cut into the abutment teeth first, because the final impression must capture their exact shape — the metal framework is cast to fit those preparations precisely. Doing it afterwards would mean the framework no longer fits. The sequence is fixed: survey → design → mouth preparation → final impression.
Related topics
- Complete dentures: diagnosis, treatment planning, impressions
- Complete dentures: jaw relations — vertical and centric
- Complete dentures: occlusion — balanced, lingualized; teeth arrangement
- Complete dentures: try-in, processing, insertion, post-insertion care
- Removable partial dentures: classification — Kennedy, Applegate
- Removable partial dentures: components — clasps, rests, connectors