The implants in implant-supported removable partial dentures (RPDs) are placed in the edentulous ridge to stabilize the RPD and minimize the resultant rotational movement. This study investigated the effect of implant placement on RPD stability. A model simulating a mandibular bilateral distal extension missing was fabricated using epoxy resin and silicone impression material as thin (1 mm) and thick (2 mm) soft tissues. Five pressure sensors (PS-10K, Kyowa, Tokyo, Japan) were attached near the left and right first molars (#36 and #46), first premolars (#34 and #44) and medio-lingual alveolar crest. Five bilateral distal extension RPDs with Co-Cr frameworks were conventionally fabricated. After the implants were placed at the bilateral second molar areas, healing caps (4.5 mm high) were connected to the denture base with autopolymerized resin to support the RPD. As in a conventional RPD, sealing screws were placed without connecting them. Loads up to 5 kg were applied, and the pressure and displacement of the RPDs (n = 5) were simultaneously measured and analysed using the Wilcoxen test (alpha = 0.05). There was less pressure on both thin and thick soft tissues, the #36, #46 and the medio-lingual alveolar crest from the implant-supported RPD than from the conventional RPD (P < 0.05). There were no significant differences in pressure on #34 and #44 between the two RPDs (P > 0.05). There was significantly less denture displacement of the implant-supported RPD than of the conventional denture (P < 0.05). Implant support helped prevent the displacement of distal extension RPDs and decreased the pressure on soft tissues.

HM clasp exhibited better fitness accuracy and retentive forces. The possibility of clinically using HM clasps as well as conventional cast clasps can be suggested.

The CAM clasp made by repeated laser sintering and high-speed milling can be used effectively as an RPD component.

This study indicated that implant placement at the distal edentulous ridge can prevent denture displacement of the distal extension bases, regardless of the supporting area of the denture base.

Thermoplastic resin clasps have been used for esthetic denture rehabilitation. However, details of the design of the clasps have never been thoroughly clarified. This study investigated the retentive forces of thermoplastic resin clasps for non-metal clasp dentures. The retentive forces of all thermoplastic resin clasps depended on the elastic modulus of each resin, undercuts, thickness, and widths of the tested. A clasp with more than 0.5 mm undercut and 1.0 mm thickness is needed for Valplast. Similarly, more than 0.25 mm undercut and 1.0 mm thickness and 0.5 mm undercut and 0.5 mm thickness are required for Estheshot and Reigning, respectively; thus, the recommended clasp arm thickness is 1.0 mm to 1.5 mm for Valplast and Estheshot and 0.5 mm to 1.0 mm for Reigning when the width of the retentive arm is 5.0 mm.