Full Length Research Paper

Dual Component Removable Partial Denture shows improved patient practicality: An evidence based pilot study

Changbin Fan¹, Wings TY Loo², Barry Ho Sing Yeung³, Mary NB Cheung², Yun Luo¹, Baiyan Lou¹ and Min Wang¹*

¹Department of Prosthodontics, Hospital of Stomatology, University of Sichuan, Chengdu, P.R.China.

²Faculty of Dentistry, the University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.

³Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, the University of California Los Angeles, USA.

*Corresponding author. E-mail: wtyloo@gmail.com. Tel.: 86 28 61153338. Fax: 86 28 85582167.

Accepted 16 January, 2009

Dual Component Removable Partial Denture (DuCo RPD) is composed of a double base; lower and upper. The lower base, where the artificial teeth are attached, acts as a support and is in contact with the alveolar ridges and oral mucosa. Clasps are designed on the upper base, which acts towards the retention and stabilization of the denture. This study aims to compare the practicality and physiological changes between the use of DuCo RPD and Removable Partial Denture (RPD). Thirty-three cases of Kennedy class III patients were chosen to apply either DuCo RPD or RPD. Annual check-up was performed for three years to survey body weight, physical signs, facial symmetry, dental caries, alveolar bone density, periodontal status, teeth mobility, denture retention, stability, degree of comfort, efficiency of biting, and total serum protein in blood before and after wearing DuCo RPD. All these factors were compared with patients before and after wearing traditional RPD. Body weight, physical signs, facial symmetry, dental caries, alveolar bone density and periodontal status were not statistically different between the RPD and the DuCo RPD users. Bone resorption, teeth mobility and teeth loss of the RPD group were significantly higher (p < 0.05) than the DuCo RPD group. A major increase in retention and stability (p < 0.05) were also observed for the DuCo RPD group. Patients who wore DuCo RPD had a higher biting efficiency than patients who wore RPD (p <0.05). DuCo RPD use is more practical and patients with DuCo RPD application showed better physiological outcomes than patients with RPD application.

Key words: Artificial teeth, alveolar ridges, biting efficiency, denture retention, denture stability, dual component removable partial denture.