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CLINICALFEATURE
by Prof Alex Mersel
Stress Absorbing
Frame Approach
for Partial Edentate
Patients
As the number of elderly increases, so does the
concern for their healthcare. Partial edentate
patients will in the future represent the most
common figure — very few elderly will be
candidates for fixed Prosthodontics or implants
supported dentures. Consequently the dental
profession will have to challenge with patients
presenting mainly a posterior edentulousness —
unilateral or bilateral. Although removable
partial denture is a favored solution, to overule
these problems a design of the denture is
proposed: a stress-absorbing frame, based on a
back-action of the lever, with a springing action
that returns the basis to its original position, thus
avoiding traumatic pressure on the underlying
tissues.
The ageing of the elderly population is already a dramatic demographic
fact. One of the most important challenges of the dental profession in the
coming years will be in providing care to senior people. The new trend is
that these patients will have more retained teeth and their expectation
will be greater. On the other hand, the increase of their lifespans will increasingly
affect their medical status; consequently an implant solution will be difficult to
realize. 1
The dental profession will have to challenge mainly with patients presenting
posterior edentulousness, unilateral or bilateral (Removable Partial Dentures
Kennedy Class 1 & 2), with usually important ridge resorption and poor
periodontal conditions. 2-3
Despite that removable partial dentures are a favored option for restoration of
many situations, many patients are not satisfied with their dentures, especially
when the restoration is not stable during mastication and implicate sores and
pain.
34 Dental Asia • May / June 2008