title: A survey of removable partial denture casts and major connector designs found in commercial laboratories, Athens, Greece.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This survey was conducted to study the prevalence of partial edentulism, the type of removable partial denture (RPD) support, the type of major connectors, and the frequency of their use in relation to the partial edentulism classes encountered, concerning patients in Athens, Greece.
  
  
  METHODS
  The material comprised 628 final casts for RPDs. Each cast was photographed in a way that would allow the number of existing teeth, the classification of partial edentulism, the RPD support, and the particular parts of the metal framework to be identified. Data collected were analyzed statistically using prevalence tables and the χ(2) test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Two hundred seventy six (43.9%) casts were for the maxilla and 352 (56.1%) for the mandible. The most frequently encountered group was Kennedy class I for both arches, while class IV was the classification least encountered (p < 0.001). Of all RPDs constructed, 96.8% had a metal framework (tooth-borne and tooth/tissue-borne), while 3.2% of the RPDs were frameless (tissue-borne, acrylic dentures). The U-shaped palatal connector (horseshoe) in the maxilla and the lingual bar in the mandible were the most frequently used for all partial edentulism classes, at 55.2% and 95%, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Analysis of the casts revealed that the type of major connectors selected does not comply with the indications for their applications, considering the lack of dental history and clinical examination. This notes the need for further training dentists and dental technicians in aspects of RPD framework design.
authors: Division of Removable Prosthodontics, Dental School, University of Athens, Greece. nicpolis@dent.uoa.gr
authors: Nick
authors: N
authors: Polychronakis
authors: Michael
authors: M
authors: Sotiriou
authors: Alcibiades
authors: A
authors: Zissis
mesh_terms: D003625:Data Collection; D016734:Dental Clasps / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003779:Denture Design / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003832:Denture, Partial, Removable / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006115:Greece / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007576:Jaw, Edentulous, Partially / Q000145:classification / Q000453:epidemiology*; D007754:Laboratories, Dental / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003765:Models, Dental; D015995:Prevalence