RPD MATERIALS:

Traditional vs Modern Options

drg. Michael Nathanael Mahama, MARS, [Link]
October - 2024
Removable Dental Prosthesis
- Partial denture
- Full denture
- Implant-supported denture

Fixed Dental Prosthesis

- Crown and bridge
- Implant-supported crown and bridge
Removable Partial
Dentures
• Types
• .Advantages and
disadvantages
• Clinical consideration
 The Ideal Denture Base Material
RDP MATERIALS

 Biocompatible with the oral tissues

 Satisfy aesthetic demands
 Have sufficient mechanical strength to resist fracture under repeated occlusal and
masticatory forces;
 Be dimensionally stable to maintain fit and occlusion;
 Resist abrasion and erosion;
 Have colour stability;
 Be radio-opaque so that they can be detected if some part of the denture is accidentally
swallowed or inhaled;
 Bond to artificial teeth;
 Be rigid enough to distribute forces without damaging the supporting tissues and to maintain
the occlusion;
 Be easy to process, adjust and repair.
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RPD MATERIALS

Types of Materials
Rigid Thermoplastic

Acrylic Resin Metal Alloys Polyoxymethylen Poly Ether Ketone

Polyamide Polycarbonate

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 Acrylic Resin
“Acrylic resins are the most common materials used for removable dentures due to
their excellent aesthetics and compatibility. They are easy to process and repair.”

Poly methyl methacrylate (PMMA) was introduced in 1937

Advantages:
 Good aesthetics
 Acceptable fitness and stability in the oral environment
 Easy laboratory and clinical manipulation
 Inexpensive equipment

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 Limitations:
ACRYLIC RESIN

 Weak mechanical resistance (impact and flexural strength)

makes the dentures easily break down in clinical uses
 Reparation will impair denture strength over a short period
of time thus, reduces the performance of the denture
clinically
 Denture dimension may be altered and deformed
throughout processing and/or during its uses lead to
inadequate denture base adaptation to the oral tissue,
reduction in denture stability, and incorrect positions of the
artificial teeth
 Concentration of residual monomer could have a drawback
effect on the mechanical properties of the PMMA such as
modulus of elasticity, surface hardness, impact strength,
surface roughness and tensile strength
 Residual monomer may cause irritation and damage to the
oral mucosa

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 According to the way of processing, the acrylic resin denture bases may be
ACRYLIC RESIN

further classified into the following categories

Heat-Activated Denture Base Resins

 Almost all denture bases are made using heat-activated materials
 Polymerize in a microwave oven or water bath
 Majority of heat-activated PMMA resin  liquid and powder components

Chemically Activated Denture Base Resin

 Also known as “self-curing”, “ cold curing”, or “auto polymerizing” resins
 Primary difference between self-curing resin and heat-cured resin is that
the reaction of polymerization is sped up by a chemical, like N-dihydroxy-
ethyl-para-toluidine, instead of heat
 Chemically activated resin polymerization is never complete as heat-
activated resin, because heat-activated resins typically have 0.2% to 0.5%
free monomer, while chemically activated resins have 3% to 5% residual
8 free monomer
 High-Impact Strength Materials
ACRYLIC RESIN

 Denture base materials with higher impact strength, such as polymers

reinforced with butadiene-styrene rubber
 These materials are handled like other heat-activated methyl methacrylate
materials and delivered in a powder–liquid form

Injection Molding Denture Base Resin

 For injection molding materials, waxed dentures are flasked and boiled out
similarly to compression molds.
 An exterior flask opening is coupled to a high-pressure injection cylinder.
 The resin is injected under high pressure into the mold cavity when the
material has reached the desired consistency
 During the polymerization cycle, the pressure is maintained, and while
polymerization shrinkage occurs, additional ingredients enter the flask.
 This type of resin base demonstrated better dimensional accuracy

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 Light-Cured Denture Base Resin
ACRYLIC RESIN

 Made up of high molecular weight acrylic resin monomers, microfine silica,

and urethane dimethacrylate.
 It comes in premixed sheets with a consistency like clay.
 The denture foundation can be polymerized in a light chamber in rotating
movement

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 Metal Alloys
“Metal alloys, often used in partial dentures, provide durability and strength.
These materials resist corrosion and can be cast to fit specific anatomical
needs.”

American national standard/American dental

association specification No. 5, dental casting alloys
must fall under one of the following categories:

o Type 1 dental casting alloys are considered low

strength and are suitable for castings that
experience minimal stress, such as inlays

o Type 2 dental casting alloys are considered

medium strength and are appropriate for castings
that experience moderate stress, such as onlays
and inlays
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METAL ALLOYS

o Type 3 dental casting alloys are categorized as high

strength and are intended for castings subjected to
high stress levels, such as saddles, thin cast
backings, full crowns, pontics, short-span fixed
partial dentures, and thick veneer crowns

o Type 4 dental casting alloys are classified as extra

high strength. They are designed for castings that
are subjected to extremely high levels of stress and
have thin cross sections, such as clasps, unit
castings, saddles, thimbles, bars, thin veneer
crowns, removable partial denture frameworks, and
long-span fixed partial dentures

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METAL ALLOYS
 Cobalt chromium (Co-Cr) alloys are most common
 They combine features such as biocompatibility, wear
resistance, and high mechanical properties (hardness,
ultimate tensile strength, and yielding strength)
 Can occasionally produce sensitivity

 Titanium and its alloys  good biocompatibility for dental

applications
 Titanium frameworks offer several advantages over traditional
dental alloys, such as excellent corrosion resistance, suitable
mechanical properties, lightweight, improved fitting accuracy, and
reduced incidence of metals related allergy due to their superior
biocompatibility
 Unavoidable drawback  forming a chemical reaction layer during
the titanium casting process
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Thermoplastic
Materials
• Most common used as denture base as well as the clasp

• Advantages:
• The rarity of solubility in solvents
• High strength, toughness, flexibility, ductility, high thermal
resistance, and resistance to chemicals effects
• Light weight and better aesthetics compared to metal
• The utilization of heat molding instead of chemical polymerization
will provide dimensional stability and reduce the polymerization
shrinkage and deformation of the resultant denture
• More biocompatible through monomer free nature
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THERMOPLASTIC
MATERIALS
• Disadvantages:
• Discoloration and degradation of
thermoplastic resin
• Difficulty of polishing
• Breakage of resin clasp, difficulty of adjusting
retention capacity and repair
• Design of retentive parts and periodontal
condition
• The denture surface is easily scratched or
damaged

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Polyoxymethylene (POM)
• Known as Acetal Resin
• Formed by the polymerization of formaldehyde
• Thermoplastic technopolymer with a monomer-free
crystalline structure
• These injection molded resins has been used as
alternative denture base and denture clasp material
since 1986
• It was marketed as a clasp material primarily on the
basis of superior aesthetics which allowed the clasp to
better match the color of the abutment tooth
• Available in 20 different colour shades,17 of which are
comparable with the “Vita” colour scale (Vitapan; VITA
Zahnfabrik, Bad Sackingen, Germany) and 3 pink
Image courtesy of Stomadent
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 Properties
POLYOXYMETHYLENE

 Superior aesthetics.
 High resistance to abrasion.
 Excellent tensile and shock strength.
 High proportional limit with little viscous flow (enabling it to behave elastically over
a large enough range to be used as a material for clasp fabrication)
 High impact strength
 Low modulus of elasticity (which allow for its use in larger retentive undercuts than
recommended for CoCr alloys
 High elastic memory.
 Low thermal conductance.
 Rigid.
 Resistance to organic solvents, oils, alkalis, hot and cold water.
 Non allergenic, non-toxic
 Clinically acceptable color changes after 300 hours of thermocycling

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 Limitations
POLYOXYMETHYLENE

o The retentive force for an acetal resin clasp may not be

sufficient due to the significantly low retentive force required
for removal due to its low modulus of elasticity, suggesting that
acetal resin clasps may be suitable for removable partial
dentures where aesthetics or periodontal health is a primary
concern

o Pink acetal resin is more resistant to stress than the white

variety. This is because in colouring it, acrylic fibres are added
to the rough material and they amalgamate with the matrix,
hence, decreasing the resistance of the white acetal resin as
compared to the pink variety

o It could be argued that a larger bulkier design would be

detrimental to oral health by contributing to plaque
accumulation.
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 Poly Ether Keton
Available as Poly Ether Ether Ketone (PEEK) or Poly Ether Ketone Ketone (PEKK)

A modified PEEK material containing 20% ceramic fillers is a high-performance

polymer (BioHPP; Bredent GmbH, Senden, Germany)  high biocompatibility,
good mechanical properties, high temperature resistance, and chemical stability

Due to a 4 GPa modulus of elasticity, it is as elastic as bone and can reduce

stresses transferred to the abutment teeth

The white color of BioHPP frameworks provides a different esthetic approach

than the conventional metal framework

Elimination of allergic reactions and metallic taste, high polish- ing qualities, low
plaque affinity, and good wear resistance

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Polyamide
• Polyamide (PA) was invented in 1928 by Wallace Carothers and was
commercially available in 1938 as Nylon

 Some of the commercial brands that used polyamide resins include

Valplast, Lucitone FRS and Thermosens
 Dentures made of PA were flexible, fabricated by injection of molten
material at 274 ⁰C-300 ⁰C into flask under pressure
 Flexural strength and modulus of elasticity of polyamide type
materials are lower than that of the conventional PMMA

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Valplast
• It has a lower elastic modulus than acrylic resins
• flexural strength and flexural modulus are only approximately
one third as high
• It is soft, easily deformable, and elastic.
• Its high amount of flexion means it is unlikely to fracture; denture
bases will not break even if a large occlusal force or stress is
applied
• Its excellent elasticity means it can be used even in abutment
teeth with a large undercut
• It is only available in a single color  semitransparent pink 
easily blends in with the color of the gums, giving it the esthetic
advantage that the border between base and gums is difficult to
distinguish
• It can be used to make thinner denture bases than those
possible with acrylic resins, minimizing discomfort when
dentures are worn
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 Disadvantage:
VALPLAST

o Its surface is easily damaged, and that the polished surface gradually loses its
luster after dentures have been inserted, becoming rougher and darker. 
repolishing at a laboratory
o It is extremely difficult to grind and polish
o Its retentive capacity is also difficult to adjust
o As its surface roughness is greater than that of acrylic resins, it is susceptible to
plaque adhesion and coloration.
o When Valplast is used to cover a wide area, its fit becomes poor. Because it warps
under a small
o amount of stress, patients with large numbers of missing teeth and large denture
base may tend to feel rocking of their dentures and have difficulty in sensing the
degree of bite.
o As it does not bond to acrylic resins, reline and repair are difficult to carry out at
the chairside

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VALPLAST

• Indications:

• Most suitable for NMCDs in patients with intermediary

defect of 1–2 incisors that require only a
• retentive area and a denture base, without a major
connector
• It may also be used for patients with intermediary
defect of molars (requiring a metal rest).
• The low elastic modulus of Valplast means that
dentures are lacking in rigidity, but this can be
obtained by using it in combination with a metal
framework, expanding its indications

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 Lucitone FRS
 Polyamide resin with excellent
stability, esthetic appearance, and
functionality made from a high-grade
microcrystalline polyamide
 Characterized by its softness
compared with polyester resins and
polycarbonate resins  provides an
outstanding fit that is unlikely to cause
pain, also makes it less likely to break
if dropped
 It is a little harder than Valplast 
which gives it greater durability
 It has good fitting
 It is highly resistant to abrasion 
easy to polish and grind
 It resistant to stains and dental
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calculus
LUCITONE FRS

Disadvantages:

o Fracture may occur in some patients if the denture

base is too thin, and that it lacks color stability
o The design of the labiobuccal side must also be
taken into account in order to strengthen its
retentive capacity  becomes looser with long-term
use  overcome with a buccolingual connection
such as a metal rest or wire
o Its greatest disadvantage is that it does not bond to
self-curing resins  repair and reline difficult
o Artificial teeth also fall out easily, and adequate
mechanical retention holes must therefore be
provided

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 Thermosens
 Monomer-free denture base material
 The flexibility of this thermoplastic material allows the transfer of
stresses from denture to surrounding tissues to reduce trauma from
denture
 The colour of thermoplastic denture bases matches oral tissues to
perfection and eliminates the use of metal clasps as in the
conventional removable partial denture design

Advantages:
• Low allergy risk
• No volume shrinkage
• Repairs are possible
• Available in 10 colours
• Easy and quick to polish
• Good humidity resistance
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• Rebasing & relining possible
Polycarbonate
 Chains of bisphenol-A carbonate
 It is light in weight, transparent, and high-quality plastic.
 it has outstanding mechanical properties, dimensional stability, excellent
impact resistance, high plastic deformation without break or crack, high
thermal resistance and it can retain its properties through a wide range of
temperature change range from 140 °C to –20 °C. Under –20 °C

Disadvantages:
o Poor chemical resistance,
o Limited scrapes resistance
o Highly sensitive to UV rays which cause color changes
Not frequently used for denture fabrication  complex processing, being expensive,
and being prone to toxicity due to the leaching of bisphenol-A (BPA)
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 Clinical
RPD MATERIALS

Considerations
Key Selection Factors

When selecting material, consider factors like patient

age, esthetic needs, and existing oral health. Each case
requires a tailored approach based on individual
assessments.

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 • Severe undercuts where pre-prosthetic surgery is not
feasible. In these cases, the retentive part or denture flanges
can flex around undercuts without causing much irritation to
the tissues.
• Patients allergic to acrylic or metal
• As a long-term interim denture after placement of implant
• For existing patients complaining of anterior clasps and
Indication want to hide the grey metal color on the front teeth). Most
dentists choose it for aesthetic reasons as well

of flexible • For existing patient who is not comfortable with

conventional acrylic partial dentures.

materials • Flexible denture is also suitable for pre-formed clasps for

partial dentures, single pressed unilateral partial dentures,
partial dentures frameworks
• Prosthetic rehabilitation of patient with hereditary
ectodermal dysplasia.
• In maxillectomy patients, flexible material can be
incorporated in making an obturator for acquired defect
after surgical recession of palatal cancer lesion

CLINICAL CONSIDERATION 29
Contraindication of flexible materials
• Flexible denture is contraindicated in patients with deep overbite or less than 4 mm
inter-arch space in the posterior area

• Patient that has bilateral free-end distal extensions with knife-edge ridges or lingual
tori on the mandible

• Patient with displaceable flappy tissue due to reduced tissue support

PRESENTATION TITLE 30
CLINICAL CONSIDERATION

Modification/Hybrid Denture
 A modified PEEK high performance
polymer (BioHPP) combined with regular
acrylic denture teeth and conventional
heat-cured denture base acrylic resin 
alternative to RDP framework material
 Due to its white color and high strength,
BioHPP permits the fabrication of metal-
free clasps and occlusal rests, providing
occlusal stability and metal-free
esthetics.

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Image courtesy of Stomadent

CLINICAL CONSIDERATION 32
 Recent Advances
RPD MATERIALS

CAD/CAM technology
Clasp-retained RPD was fabricated through a full-digital workflow without the
need for a gypsum definitive cast. Digital impression-taking and MMR recording
using an IOS may reduce the number of clinical appointments required and the
chair time and can simplify laboratory procedures

Biomaterials Development

Emerging biomaterials are focused on enhancing aesthetics, flexibility, and long-

term compatibility with oral tissues, improving overall patient experiences.

3D Printing Technologies

3D printing has revolutionized denture fabrication, allowing for precise

customization, reduced production times, and cost-effective solutions.
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 Conclusions

Material Type Advantages Disadvantages

Acrylic Resins Lightweight, Cost-effective Less durable than metals, Can stain easily

Metal Alloys Highly durable, Strong structural integrity Higher cost, Potential for allergies

Flexible Resins Comfortable fit, Aesthetic options Limited strength, May not suit all patients

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 Future Trends

40% 30% 20% 10%

Solid Choice Current Preference Growing Interest Emerging Innovations

Acrylic resins continue to Metal alloys maintain Flexible resins are New biomaterials are
dominate due to their popularity for their gaining traction for expected to rise as
cost and ease of durability and functional enhanced comfort. technology advances.
handling. benefits.

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