Removable Partial Denture
A Removable Partial Denture or RPD is for a partially edentulous dental patient who desires to have replacement teeth for functional or aesthetic reasons, and who cannot have a bridge (a fixed partial denture) for any number of reasons, such as a lack of required teeth to serve as support for a bridge or due to financial limitations.
The reason why this type of prosthesis is referred to as a removable partial denture is because patients can remove and reinsert them when required without professional help. Conversely, a “fixed” prosthesis can and should be removed only by a dental professional.
Depending on where in the mouth teeth are missing, edentulous situations can be grouped under four different
categories, as defined by Dr. Edward Kennedy in his classification of partially edentulous arches.
Class I (bilateral free ended partially edentulous)
Class II (unilateral free ended partially edentulous)
Class III (unilateral bounded partially edentulous)
Class IV (bilateral bounded anterior partially edentulous)