RPD Manual 11 - Removable Prosthodontics - Dalhousie University

Framework Adjustment - 87
be bent. Heat generation is one of the reasons major adjustments are made prior
to acrylic placement (i.e. the heat would melt the acrylic).
5. Completely remove any media contaminated with metal grindings and place fresh
media. Repeat this procedure until full seating is achieved. At this point a thin,
even film of media should be observed under rests and indirect retainers. The
wax or silicon media will have a greyish hue from the underlying metal. The feel
of the denture upon seating will change from a grating or snapping sensation to
one of a gliding sensation. Normal adjustment of a framework should take no
longer than 20 minutes.
6. Check for soft tissue impingements using pressure-indicating paste. Remove a
small portion from the jar, and place it on a mixing pad. Use a stiff-bristled brush
to spread a thin layer over the tissue surfaces of the major connector, and
infrabulge clasps. Leave streaks in the paste. Place intraorally with moderate
pressure and remove. Relieve any areas of marked burn-through. If streaks are
left in the paste, this indicates no contact with the tissues. Adjust or leave
accordingly. Maxillary palatal connectors should exhibit broad even contact with
the palate.
7. If the framework cannot be adequately adjusted, it should be remade. In some
cases this decision may be made at the pre-clinical inspection stage. Make this
determination early, so that time will allow for a new impression to be made.
Determine if the casting fits similarly on the cast and in the mouth. If it does not,
the final impression was most likely inaccurate and should be remade. If the
casting does fit similarly, the discrepancy may be due to laboratory errors. In
many cases abrasion of the master cast will require re-making of the final
impression as well. If the pre-clinical inspection leads the dentist to believe a
remake is a possibility, a new custom tray should be made prior to the patient
appointment in anticipation of the need for a new impression.
Occlusal Adjustments to the Framework
Since most frameworks are be fabricated on unmounted casts there are usually occlusal
interferences present on rests and indirect retainers. These should be adjusted at this time.
Vertical dimension should remain unchanged by a removable partial denture in almost all
instances. The framework should not interfere with normal centric and eccentric contacts
of the maxillary and mandibular teeth. Contacts should be identical with and without the
framework in the mouth.
Mark occlusal contacts with thin articulating paper and remove the framework for
adjustment. The highly polished metal surfaces do not mark well with articulating paper
so that the opposing occlusion should be checked for heavy contacts. Diamond burs,
heatless stones, Shofu coral stones or cross cut Brasseler lab burs will most readily remove
interferences. DO NOT FORGET TO LOCATE AND ADJUST EXCURSIVE
INTERFERENCES.
When maxillary and mandibular frameworks are being adjusted, they should be adjusted
individually, then placed in the mouth together to eliminate interferences between the
frameworks. Occlusal rests or indirect retainers that have inadequate thickness (< 1.5 mm)