Mandibular major connectors.

Part of a removable partial denture that joins one side of the arch to the other.

Basic requirements
i. Rigid and provides cross arch stability.
ii. Should not interfere with the tongue nor irritate it.
iii. Not alter the contour of the lingual surface of lingual alveolar ridge.
iv. Not impinge on the oral tissues when prostheses inserted or rotate in function.
v. Cover no more tissue than is necessary.
vi. Has support from other elements of the framework.
vii. Made of an alloy compatible with the oral tissues.

Design specifications
Superior borders are placed at least 3mm from the gingival margin.
Relief is done to prevent tissue impingement at rest and during function.

Quality of supporting structures

 Periodontal status of abutment tooth.
 Quality of the supporting soft tissue.
 Bone index.
 Lingual tori.
 Movement of the dental alveolar segment.

1. Lingual bar.
Indications: 8mm vertical space between gingival margin and floor of the mouth.
Contraindications:
 Inoperable lingual tori.
 High lingual fraenum attachments.
 Interference during functional movements of the floor of the mouth.

Characteristics and location.

 Half pear shaped with bulkiest portion inferiorly located.
  Superior border tapered to soft tissue.
 Superior border located at least 3mm inferior to gingival margins.
 Inferior border located at the ascertained height of the alveolar lingual sulcus when
patients tongue slightly elevated.

NB:
At least 8mm of vertical space between active tissues of the floor of the mouth and the
gingival margins of the teeth is required.

Advantages.
i. Has minimal tissue coverage and minimal contact with oral tissues.
ii. Decalcification of teeth is minimised since it doesn’t contact teeth.

Disadvantages.
i. May be flexible if poorly constructed.
ii. Rigidity is less compared to a well-constructed lingual plate.

Block out and relief of master cast.

 All tissue undercuts parallel to the path of placement.
 Additional thickness of 32 gauge wax when lingual surface of the alveolar ridge is
either undercut or parallel to the path of placement.
 No relief necessary when the lingual surface slopes inferiorly and posteriorly.

2. Lingual plate.
Indications.
 High lingual fraenum, shallow vestibule.
 Severe vertical resorption.
 Presence of lingual tori
 Stabilisation of periodontally weak teeth.

Contraindications.
 In lingually inclined mandibular anterior teeth.
 Wide embrasures and diastema.
Characteristics and location.
 Half pear shaped with bulkiest portion inferiorly located.
 Thin metal apron extending superiorly to contact cingula of anterior teeth and height
of contour of posterior teeth and interproximally to contact points.
 Superior borders should be knife edged and contoured to intimately contact lingual
surface above cingula.
 Close interproximal space to level of contact points.

Advantages.
i. Provides more support and stabilisation compared to other connectors.
ii. Can be used to stabilise periodontally weakened teeth.
iii. When supported at each end by a rest, it contributes to action of indirect retention.
iv. Provision to include more teeth in the design.

Disadvantages.
i. Covers the teeth structure and gingival tissue.
ii. Metal coverage of free gingival tissue prevents physiological and self-cleansing of
tissue by saliva.

Interrupted Lingual Plate.

Recommended in wide interproximal areas.
The upper border is cut longitudinally to prevent its display through the wider interproximal
spaces.

Block out and relief.

 All involved undercuts of contacted teeth parallel to path of placement.
 All involved gingival crevices.
 Lingual surface of alveolar ridge.
Waxing specifications.
 Inferior border 6 gauge half pear shaped form reinforced with 24 gauge sheet of wax.
 Apron 24 gauge sheet wax.

Finish line:
Butt joint.

3. Double lingual bar.

Also known as Kennedy bar or continuous lingual clasp due to the series of clasp arms
connected on the lingual surface of the anterior teeth.

Characteristics and location.

 The lower component displays same characteristics as the lingual bar.
 Upper bar is half oval, 2-3mm in height and 1mm thick, presenting scalloped
appearance.
 Two bars joined by minor connectors on each end.

Advantages.
i. Effectively extends indirect retention in an anterior direction.
ii. Contributes to horizontal stabilisation.
iii. Helps in minor amount of support to the prosthesis.
iv. Gingival tissues and interproximal embrasure are not covered by connector, which
helps in free flow of saliva.

Disadvantages.
i. Patient may feel discomfort since it alters the normal position of the tongue.
ii. If connector does not maintain the intimate contact with tooth surface, there will be
food entrapment.

Block out and relief.

 Same as for lingual bar.
 No relief for continuous bar except block out of interproximal spaces.
Waxing specifications.
 Same as lingual bar.
 Continuous bar pattern formed by adapting two strips (3mm wide) of 28 gauge sheet
wax over the cingula and into interproximal embrasure.

Finish line:
Butt joint.

4. Sublingual bar.
Indications.
 Height of floor of the mouth in relation to the free gingival margin is less than 6mm.
 If it is desired to keep the free gingival margins of anterior teeth exposed and there is
inadequate depth of the floor of the mouth.

Contraindications.
 Lingually tilted remaining natural teeth.
 Inoperable lingual tori.
 High attachment lingual fraenum.

Accurately record the functional depth and width of the lingual sulcus.
These sulcus dimensions are retained on the master cast resulting in a bar whose maximum
cross sectional dimension is oriented horizontally.
Rigidity
Height = rigidity2
Width = rigidity3
The increased width thus ensures that the important requirement of rigidity is satisfied.
 5. Continuous bar.
Also known as cingulum bar.

Indications.
i. Improper axial alignment of the anterior teeth requiring excessive blockout of
interproximal undercuts.

Contraindications.
i. Lingually tilted anterior teeth.
ii. Wide diastema between mandibular anterior teeth.

Characteristics and location.

 Narrow metal strap located on cingula of anterior teeth, scalloped to follow
interproximal embrasure.
 Originates bilaterally from rests of the principle abutments.
Block out and relief.
 No relief for cingula bar except interproximal spaces.

Waxing specifications.
 Formed by adapting two strips of 26 gauge, 3mm wide over the cingula and into
interproximal embrasure.

Finish line:
Butt joint.

6. Labial bar.
Indications.
i. Large inoperable lingual tori.
ii. Severe and abrupt lingual undercuts.
iii. Lingually inclined lower anteriors and premolars.

Characteristics and location.

Half pear shaped with bulkiest portion inferiorly located on the buccal aspect.
Superior border tapered to soft tissue and 4mm inferior to labial gingival margins.
Inferior border located in the labiobuccal vestibule; at the junction of attached and mobile
mucosa.

Blockout and relief.

 All tissue undercuts parallel to the path of placement and when the labial surface is
either undercut or parallel to the path of placement.
 No relief if labial surface of alveolar ridge slopes inferiorly.

Waxing specifications.
 6 gauge half pear shaped wax form reinforced with a 22 – 24 gauge.
 Long bars are bulkier than short bars.
 Minor connector is joined with the occlusal or other superior components by a labial
approach.

Finish line:
Butt joint.

7. Hinge continuous labial bar.

Indications.
i. Missing key abutments.
ii. Unfavourable tooth contour.
iii. Unfavourable soft tissue contour.
iv. Teeth with questionable prognosis.

Contraindications.
i. Poor oral hygiene.
ii. Shallow buccolabial vestibule.
iii. High frenal attachment.

Characteristics and location.

 It is a modification of linguoplate which is incorporated in the “swing lock”.
  Consist of labial bar connected to the major connector by hinge on one end and latch
on the other.
 Support provided by multiple rests on the remaining natural teeth.
 Stabilisation and reciprocation is by lingual plate.
 Retention is produced by bar type retention clasp arm projecting from the labial bar
arm.

Sequence of design consideration.

i. Outline the buccal seat areas on the diagnostic cast.
ii. Outline inferior border of the major connector.
iii. Connect the buccal seat to the inferior and superior borders of the major connector
and add minor connectors to retain the resin base.

NON RIGID CONNECTORS.

a. Split bar major connector.
Split provided between the denture base area and major connector.
When occlusal forces are applied they are transformed more towards the tissue supported
base and then they are transmitted to the abutment teeth.

b. Ticonium hidden lock partial denture.

Is a two piece casting:
 The top half, which is the major connector supporting the direct retainer and other
rigid components, is cast first.
 The bottom half, which is the connector between the denture base, is cast to the major
connector next.
 The hidden lock is created by mechanical means and the split between the two
connectors is made possible by the thin oxide shell that forms during the making of
the two sections.

c. The 12 gauge chrome wire stress breaker.

Avoids complexities of most stress breaker designs and yet offers many clinical advantages.

The 12 gauge wire is added to the refractory cast. The wire is then coated with die lubricants
and wax up is completed.
Wax must not go beyond the maximum convexity of the wire.
After recovering the casting, the wire is welded of soldered.
Connection between denture base and the main major connector is separated to activate the
12 gauge chrome wire.

Advantages.
i. Rigidity of the wire avoids overloading the mucosa.
ii. The mucosa is also more evenly loaded.
iii. It’s easy to splint teeth with the design.
iv. Fabrication is relatively simple.
v. Repairs are rarely needed and are simple.

d. Disjunct dentures. (Geissler, Watt 1965)

Principle:
 Tooth borne and mucosa borne parts of the denture are disjoined.
 Tooth borne part providing splinting of the remaining teeth and only retention for
mucosa borne part.

Structural details.
 Tooth borne part is a lingual plate and thus provides stabilisation for the remaining
teeth.
 Tissue borne part is a lingual bar which consist of denture bases along with the teeth
at its terminals.

Advantages.
i. Independent movement between the teeth supported and tissue supported parts
decreases the force on periodontally weakened remaining teeth.
Disadvantages.
i. It is technically difficult to fabricate.
ii. Patient may complain of rattling of framework during mastication.

Disadvantages of non-rigid major connectors.

i. The broken stress denture is usually more difficult to fabricate and thus more costly.
ii. Vertical and horizontal forces are concentrated on the residual ridge. This increases
ridge resorption.
iii. If relining is not done when needed, excess resorption of residual ridge may result.