The Denture Pro.
Copyright 2010
Now Here This....what ever you do "never" attempt to Bend, Adjust or Tighten the clamps on your (PD) Partial Denture. PD clamps are specifically designed to only contact or grip the tooth they hold on to at their very tip end. Only the last 10%, of the tip of the clamp (clasps) is designed to actually hold on to the tooth...The rest of the clamp may touch to tooth but should not be expected to provide retention.
PD clamps encircle a tooth but the only part that is designed to touch the tooth is the end portion of the clamp. An average natural tooth has somewhat of a "bell"shape to it. If you take a straight edge in a vertical position and place it against the side of a natural tooth, you will find that about half way down the face of the tooth the tooth's surface begins to move inward away from the straight edge.
From the point at which the tooth's surface moves inward and on down to the gum line, that is called the "undercut" area. The PD clamp is designed in a way that only permits about 10% of the tip of the PD clamp to extend beyond the "Undercut" line. That final 10% is what provides the holding power of the clamp. The rest of the clamp only serves to form an attachment between the origin of the clamp and the tip.
The only part of the PD clamp to be adjusted is the final 10% that goes beyond the "undercut." When you see a dental appliance professional adjust a PD clamp, it will appear that he/she is using a simple pair of "needle nose" pliers....NOT SO, what in fact is being used is a very specially designed "triple nosed" pliers.....standard needle nose pliers is unable to adjust the limited tip of a PD clamp, regular needle nose pliers will apply pressure over the entire PD clamp and most likely break it as the thick portion of a PD clamp has little to no give.
Also, if you have a PD clamp break in the middle, don't bother to pay someone to weld the broken piece back on. Welding will leave the clamp brittle, especially at the weld joint. Chances are it will break again very soon.
If the PD clamp broke while wearing, the chances are the partial did not fit well under the plastic portion that fits over the gums. If the gums had shrank, the partial was flexing up and down and eventually the clamps break into as the metal becomes fatigued. Had the partial been relined (refitted) the clamps should not break.
NOW. you must "always" completely seat a partial denture into it's proper position with your fingers. NEVER place the partial in your mouth and then attempt to bite it in place...Partial clamps are designed to slide around a tooth in a very specific path...Biting them into place forces them to travel a path they were not designed to go and that will eventually cause them to get loose and break.
If you have questions about the above information please Email The Denture Pro.
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