DIRECT

RETAINER
S
GARIMA MAKHIJA

2ND YEAR PG

D E PA R T M E N T O F P R O S T H D O N T I C S
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
DEFINITIONS
FACTORS AFFECTING RETENTION IN REMOVABLE PARTIAL DENTURE
CLASSIFICATION OF DIRECT RETAINERS
EXTRACORONAL DIRECT RETAINERS
PRINCIPLES OF A CLASP DESIGN
FUNDAMENTALS CLASP DESIGNS
PARTS OF A CLASP ASSEMBLY
FAILURES OF EXTRACORONAL DIRECT RETAINERS
INTRACORONAL DIRECT RETAINER
CONCLUSION
REFERENCES
 INTRODUCTION
A removable denture that
replaces some teeth in a
partially edentulous arch, the
RPD can be readily inserted
and removed from the mouth
by the patient
1955 1963 1983
EDWARD ELIASON’s
KENNEDY’s KRATOCHVI
L’s RPI RPA
HEIGHT OF
CONTOUR CONCEPT CONCEPT
Types of Retention
Frictional Retention
Wedge Principle
Mechanical Retention
 DIRECT RETAINER
The component of a removable partial denture used
to retain and prevent dislodgement, consisting of a
clasp assembly or precision attachment.
-GPT-9
FUNCTION OF DIRECT RETAINERS
The direct retainers ensure effective prosthesis retention and minimizes
the transmission of detrimental forces to the associated abutments and
supporting tissues.
How do direct retainers help gain
retention?

[Link] which engage undercuts.

2. Acting through the polished surfaces.

3. Coverage of mucosa by the denture

Classification Of Direct
PRECISION
Retainers ATTACHMENT
INTRACORON S
AL SEMIPRECISI
ON
ATTACHMENT
DIRECT S
RETAINERS
ATTACHMENT
S
EXTRACORO
SUPRABULGE
NAL RETENTIVE
CLASP
ASSEMBLIES
INFRABULGE
EXTRACORONAL RETAINERS
PROTHERO’s CONE THEORY
 PARTS OF CLASP
ASSEMBLY
a) Rest
b) Body of the clasp
c) Shoulder
d) Terminals
e) Clasp arms
f) Minor connector
g) Approach Arm
 PRINCIPLES OF CLASP DESIGN

Clasp
Design

Reciprocat Encirclem
Retention Support Stability Passivity
ion ent
 RETENTION
Resistance to forces acting to dislodge the
components away from the supporting tissues.
Clasp terminus must engage the prescribed
undercut.
Achieved by
a) Proper location of retentive terminal
b) Use of a more flexible clasp arm
c)Type of the clasp used
 Type of clasp

Flexibility of
RETENTION the retentive
arm
Axial
convergence
apical to
height of
contour
 FLEXIBILTY
D = 4PL3/Ewt3 Maximum flexibility is the strain

D= Deflection occurring when a material is

P= Applied force
L= Length stressed to its proportional limit.
E =Modulus of elasticity
w =width
t = thickness
Maximum flexibility of a retentive
clasp arm may be defined as the
greatest amount of displacement
that can occur without causing
permanent deformation of the clasp
 SUPPORT
Support is the quality of a clasp assembly
that resists displacement of a prosthesis is
an apical direction.
Components of vertical support:
• Rest
• Elements that contact the abutment
occlusal to the height of contour.
 STABILITY
It is the quality of a clasp assembly that
resists displacement of a prosthesis in a
horizontal direction.
.
RECIPROCATION
Quality of a clasp assembly that
counteracts lateral displacement of
an abutment when retentive clasp
terminus passes over the height of
contour.
 ENCIRCLEMENT
Characteristic of a clasp assembly that prevents
movement of an abutment away from the
associated clasp assembly

Clasp assembly must cover at least 180 degrees of

a tooth’s circumference
 PASSIVITY

Quality of a clasp assembly that

prevents the transmission of adverse
forces to the associated abutment when
the prosthesis is completely seated
 CRITERIA FOR CLASP SELECTION
• Survey line • Presence of excessive tissue
undercut
• Requirement of retention
and stability • Oral hygiene and patient
awareness
• Nature of support

• Root size and form

• Aesthetics
 RETENTIVE CLASP ASSEMBLIES
• Most common method of extraoral
direct retention

• Dr WGA Bonwill, 1899

The retentive A clasp
element terminus

Resistance to
displacement
Classification Of Retentive Clasp Assemblies

A On the basis of design

On the basis of
B construction

2022 DIRECT RETAINERS 30

 Based on design
A) Occlusally Approaching / Suprabulge /
Ney Type I Clasp / Circumferential
/Akers/Pull Type Of Clasp

B) Gingivally Approaching / Infrabulge/

Bar/ Roach / Ney Type II Clasp/Push Type
A Of Clasp
B
Based on the construction
material

Cast Metal Alloy

Wrought Wire

Combination Clasp
 COMPONENT WAX GAUGE

Direct Retainers
-Cast circumferential clasp 12 Gauge half round wax
-Bar type Clasp 12 Gauge half round wax
-Reciprocal arm 12 Gauge half round wax for
premolars
8 Gauge half round for molars
 FUNDAMENTAL CLASP DESIGNS
Circumferential clasps/ occlusally approaching
Bar/Roach clasps / Gingivally
approaching .
• Simple circlet clasp
• Reverse circlet clasp • T-clasp
• Multiple circlet clasp
• Modified T-clasp
• Embrasure clasp.
• Ring clasp. • Y-clasp
• Back action clasp.
• Reverse back action clasp • I-clasp
• Reverse action / hair pin clasp. • I-Bar
• Half-and-half clasp.
• Combination clasp. • RPI concept.
• Onlay clasp. • DeVan’s clasp
v

Dr.N.B. NESBITT in 1916

[Link] the under cut from
edentulous area
2. It engages the undercut
located away from the
edentulous case.
[Link] the components of the
clasp should be present above
the height of contour except the
retentive tip.
REVERSE CIRCLET CLASP

Most commonly used on the mandibular bicuspids and the retentive terminal
engages the disto-buccal undercut. Used when the retentive undercut on the
abutment tooth is located adjacent to the edentulous space .
MULTIPLE CIRCLET
CLASP

It is a clasp in which two

opposing simple circlet clasp
are joined at the terminal end
of the two reciprocal arms.
 ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES

Mode of splinting for weakened teeth Involves more of tooth

modifications.

It braces the abutment on the mesial

side even if the tooth is tipped

distally.

Marginal gingiva can be left

uncovered of the abutment teeth for
better partial denture health.
EMBRASURE
CLASP
RING CLASP
Advantages
 Adequate encirclement and excellent retention with flexibility
 In mesially inclined teeth, it restores the occlusal surface by
its anatomy and thereby uprights the tooth decreasing
unfavorable stress on the abutments
 Provides vertical support and prevents tissue ward movement

Disadvantages
 Difficult to adjust or repair
HALF AND HALF CLASP
Retentive arm arises from one
side of the tooth.
A reciprocal arm arises from
other direction on the opposite
side of the tooth
 REVERSE
ACTION CLASP
This clasp is essentially a simple circlet
clasp in which the retentive arm after
crossing the facial surface of the tooth
returns to its point of origin. Loops back
in a hairpin turn to engage a proximal
undercut below its point of origin.
 • In 1965 Dr. OC
COMBINATION
Applegate introduced a
CLASP modified wrought wire
clasp assembly known
as the combination
clasp.
• This type of clasp
consists of a wrought
wire retentive clasp arm
and a cast reciprocal
clasp arm.
Advantages
Flexibility
Adjustability
Esthetic
A minimum area of tooth surface is covered
Disadvantages
It involves extra steps in fabrication
It may be distorted by careless handling on
the part of the patient
It may distort with function
The
RPA
Conce
pt
EXTRACORONAL
RETAINERS
• Reside entirely
outside the normal
clinical contours of
abutment teeth
EXTRACORONAL
ATTACHMENTS

Henry R Boos, early 1900s

F Ewing Roach, 1908

• Derive retention from matrices and

patrices.
• Permit vertical movement of
prostheses during occlusal loading
• “ Stress Breaking”
Extracoronal Resilient Attachment (ERA)

• Black = processing
• White = light retention
• Orange = moderate retention
• Blue = heavy retention
• Gray = very heavy retention
INFRABULGE CLASPS
 BAR/ROACH CLASPS /
GINGIVALLY APPROACHING
CLASPS
Design rules for infrabulge clasps:

• Approach arm should not impinge the soft tissues.

• Approach arm should cross the free gingival margin at 90 degrees
• To optimize flexibility the approach arm should be uniformly
tapered from its origin to clasp terminus
• Clasp terminus should be positioned as far apically on the
abutment as practical
 Used on distobuccal surface of
I-clasp maxillary canine for esthetic reason.

Used in combination with cast

T-clasp
2 circumferential reciprocal arm.

It is a T clasp without the non

3 Modified T-clasp retentive (mesial) finger of the
cross bar of the T terminal.

When the height of contour on the facial

4
surface of the abutment tooth is high on
Y clasp mesial and distal line angles but low on
the center of the facial surface.
Advantages Disadvantages
• Esthetic • Accumulation of food debris
• Easy to insert, difficult to • High flexibility
remove • Difficult to adjust/ fabricate
• Minimal tooth contact
• Increased Retention
• Decreased torquing
 THE
RPI
CONCE
PT

THE RPI CONCEPT

 The proximal plate in conjunction
with the mesial occlusal rest and
minor connectors provides the
stabilizing and reciprocal aspects
of the clasp assembly
The I-bar contributes to the
retentive aspect and should be
The RPI located in the gingival third of the
buccal or labial surface of the
Concept
abutment in 0.01 inch undercut
The whole arm of the I-bar should
be tapered to its terminus, with
no more than 2mm of its tip
contacting the abutment
The approach arm must be
located at least 4mm from the
gingival margin and even more
if possible
 Proximal Plate Modifications
Proximal plate is designed to extend along
Proximal plate is designed to extend from the entire length of the proximal surface of
the marginal ridge to the junction betweenthe abutment with a minimum tissue
the middle and cervical third of the tooth relief .A relief is provided near the gingival
margin at the tooth tissue junction
 I- bar
modifications
The tip of the I bar is It is placed more
modified to have a pod
shape in order to allow
mesially so that it
more tooth contact. shifts towards the
mesial embrasure
space under
It is designed to
compensate for the
occlusal load and
decreased encirclement increase
provided by the proximal
plate and mesial rest. reciprocation.
 Mesial Rest Modifications
The mesial rest extends only into the Canine rests are circular, concave depressions
prepared on the mesial marginal ridge. it does
triangular fossa even in the molar
not cover the entire marginal ridge
preparations
 Uses and Advantages
• It is used with tooth supported partial dentures or tooth supported
modification areas or when an undercut lies adjacent to a distal
extension base
• When a small degree of undercut exists in the cervical third of
the abutment tooth which may be approached from the gingival
direction
• The design permits a small degree of tissue ward rotation of the
distal extension base
• Beneficial effect on the periodontium.
 Disadvantages and Limitations
• Cannot be used on a terminal abutment if the undercut lies on the side of
the tooth away from the extension base
• It is not very flexible
• An I bar cannot be placed in case of a deep cervical undercut or tissue
undercut
• A shallow vestibule or excessive buccal or lingual tilt of the abutment would
limit the placement of a bar clasp
• Lateral stabilisation is compromised
 OTHER CLASP DESIGNS

• RPL clasp • C shaped clasp

• VRHR clasp. • Movable arm clasp.

• Clasps utilizing proximal undercuts • Cingulum clasp

-Mesiodistal clasp

-Devan clasp.

• U shaped clasp

• L shaped clasp
The
RPL
Conce
pt
The RLS
VRHR
System
Clasps
Clasps using Proximal undercuts
The approach arm for the retentive
terminal arises from the border of the
denture base.
It uses the proximal undercut and has a
small head that bears on tooth entirely
below survey line.
Clasp arises and lies closely against at
the periphery of the denture base.
Direct Retainers –Aesthetic
Solutions In The Smile Zone
Hidden Clasp/Internally Braced
Clasps
ADVANTALOK SYSTEM
TWIN-FLEX OPTI-FLEX
Metal Free Clasps/Thermoplastic
Clasps

• Flexite plus clasps

• Themoflex / thermoplastic clasps
• Acetal resin thermoplastic clasps
FAILURE OF EXTRA-CORONAL
RETAINER

Inadequate diagnosis and treatment planning .

Faulty designing of clasp may result in

breakage of the retentive arm that is due to
repeated flexure into and out of tooth
undercut.
INTRACORONAL
RETAINERS
A retainer consisting of a metal
receptacle(matrix) and a closely fitting
part (patrix);the matrix is usually
contained within the normal or
expanded contours of the crown on
the abutment tooth and the patrix is
attached to a pontic or the removable
partial denture framework.
-GPT-9
INDICATIONS

To provide Pier abutments,

movable joint Tilted molars
in RPD

Used in To stabilize
overdentures unilateral
saddles
DRAWBACKS OF INTRACORONAL ATTACHAMENTS
OVER CLASP RETENTIVE ASSMEBLIES

Crown length
Cost
Extensive preparation of
Time
abutment teeth required

Pulp size Difficult

 ADVANTAGES

Esthetically acceptable Provides vertical support Permits proper tooth form Provides excellent retention
HOW TO
CHOOSE AN
ATTACHMENT?
 CONCLUSION
Prosthesis design should be kept as simple as the clinical situation
permits and selection of the most appropriate clasp assembly for a
specific clinical situation must be based on a variety of factors.
The forces working against a removable partial denture to move it
away from the tissue are generally not as great as the functional
forces causing stress toward the tissue, it must have retention
appropriate to resist reasonable dislodging forces which is
accomplished mechanically by placing retaining elements like direct
retainers.
 REFERENCES
Carr AB, Brown DT. McCracken's removable partial prosthodontics.12 th edition 67-93

Phoenix RD, Cagna DR, DeFreest CF. Stewart's clinical removable partial prosthodontics. 4 th edition.
Pg 51-82
Miller EL, Grasso JE. Removable partial prosthodontics. 2 nd edition 151-172

Reynolds JM. Precision attachments in prosthodontics: The applications of intracoronal and

extracoronal attachments. Volume I Pg 139-206
Brudvik JS. Advanced removable partial dentures. 2nd edition 13-39

Burns DR, Ward JE. A review of attachments for removable partial denture design: Part 2. Treatment
planning and attachment selection. International Journal of Prosthodontics. 1990 Mar 1;3(2).
Leyssen W, Heran J, Walmsley AD. Acrylic dentures: fill the gap. Part 1. overview, support, retention,
reciprocation and bracing. Dental Update. 2023 Jan 2;50(1):49-52.
 REFERENCES
Eliason CM. RPA clasp design for distal-extension removable partial dentures. The Journal of
Prosthetic Dentistry. 1983 Jan 1;49(1):25-7.
Khan S, Geerts G. Aesthetic clasp design for removable partial dentures: a literature review.

Keith [Link],editor and Chairman, Glossary of Prosthodontic Terms.9 th [Link]

2017;117
Krol AJ. RPI (rest, proximal plate, I bar) clasp retainer and its modifications. Dental Clinics of
North America. 1973 Oct 1;17(4):631-49.
Tebrock OC, Rohen RM, Fenster RK, Pelleu Jr GB. The effect of various clasping systems on
the mobility of abutment teeth for distal-extension removable partial dentures. The Journal of
Prosthetic Dentistry. 1979 May 1;41(5):511-6.
Direct
Retainer
s
GARIMA MAKHIJA

2ND YEAR PG

S D M C O L L E G E O F D E N TA L S C I E N C E S
A N D H O S P I TA L