Abutments in Fixed Partial Dentures

ABUTMENTS IN FIXED
PARTIAL DENTURES
 Abutment : A tooth, portion of a tooth/root or an implant used for
support and retention of fixed or removable prosthesis. (GPT- 9)
DEFINITION
 Provide support to the FPD
 Provide design for the retainer
FUNCTIONS  Distribution of load for the FPD
 Establishes design or Morphological pattern of the Pontics

 Helps in splinting of the FPD
 Determines the length of the FPD – depends upon periodontal condition
 Determines the prognosis of tooth supported FPD

- direct influence on the success or failure of fixed prosthesis
FUNCTIONS  Provides determination of the occlusal plane
 Determines the occlusal scheme for the FPD
 Determines the integrity of the dental arch
 Provides design for providing the load along the long axis of the tooth
 Location,position and condition of tooth
 Root configuration
FACTORS FOR  Crown-root ratio
ABUTMENT  Root support
 Periodontal ligament area
SELECTION
 Assesment of pulpal health
• Teeth adjacent to edentulous spaces
LOCATION, • Teeth with grossly decayed crowns that can be restored with full
POSITION veneer crowns
AND
• Vital teeth are preferred though endodonticaly treated teeth can
CONDITION also be used
OF TOOTH
• Pulp capped teeth should not be used because they are always
under risk of requiring root canal treatment
• Roots that are broader labiolingually than they are mesiodistally
are preferable to roots that are round in cross section.
• Multirooted posterior teeth with widely separated roots will offer
better periodontal support than roots that converge, fuse or
generally present a conical configuration
• The length of abutment is directly proportional to stability and
ROOT strength of the prosthesis.
CONFIGURATION
 This ratio is a measure of the length of tooth occlusal to the
alveolar crest of bone compared with the length of root
embedded in the bone.
 Ideal crown - root ratio - 1:2.

 Optimum crown – root ratio – 2:3
CROWN : ROOT  Minimal crown root ratio – 1:1
RATIO
 Ante’s law: (Johnston et al )
 The combined pericemental area of the abutment teeth should be
greater than the pericemental area of the tooth or teeth to be replaced.
 If the pericemental area of the abutment is inadequate then use of
multiple teeth is indicated.
PERIODONTAL
LIGAMENT
AREA
Comparison of root surface areas of 16 teeth
Maxillary Maxillary Mandibular Mandibular
Tooth Area mm2 Ranking Area mm2 Ranking

Central 139 7 103 8
Lateral 112 8 124 7
Canine 204 3 159 4
First 149 5 135 6
premolar
Second
premolar
140 6 135 5
First molar 335 1 352 1
Second molar 272 2 282 2
Third molar 197 4 190 3
 Single tooth will act as abutment for two adjacent edentulous
SPECIAL spaces on either side
 Single abutment will be subjected to unbalanced forces which can
CONSIDERATIONS lead to trauma of periodontium
1. PIER
ABUTMENTS
• To prevent trauma to abutment stress breaker should be provided
near pier abutment
• Stress breaker is non rigid connector with key in a keyway
• Keyway is usually placed on distal surface of the pier abutment
• Key is attached to mesial surface of pontic of distal edentulous

space
• Forces acting on distal end of distal edentulous space will

disengage the connector and prevent stess to the pier abutment
• Selection of cantilever abutment is more critical because this type
of prosthesis will face more than normal forces
• More than average bone support should be present
2. • Sufficient tooth structure should be available
ABUTMENTS
• Endodonticaly treated teeth are not preferred
IN
CANTILEVER • Endodontically treated teeth with excessive crown damage are
SITUATIONS contraindicated
• Teeth with shorter roots are contraindicated
EXAMPLES INCLUDE :
 Replacement of lateral incisor with canine support
 Replacement of first premolar with second premolar and first

molar support
CANTILEVER
SITUATIONS
 Obtaining a single path of insertion is difficult
 Tilted mandibular third molars are most commonly encountered
tilted abutments in fabrication of fixed prosthesis
3. TILTED
ABUTMENTS
METHODS TO OVERCOME
DISADVANTAGES OF TILTED ABUTMENT
1.Proximal reduction of tited tooth  2. Orthodontic treatment
3.Non rigid connector 4.Telescopic crown
 Contemporary fixed prosthodontics ; Rosensteil,
Lang,Fujimoto;3rd ed.
 Fundamental of fixed prosthodontics ; Shillingburg et al,3rded.
REFERENCES  Modern practice of Fixed prosthodontics – Johnston , 4th ed.
 Theory & practice of fixed prosthodontics – Tylman

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ABUTMENTS IN FIXED

 Provide design for the retainer

FUNCTIONS  Distribution of load for the FPD

 Establishes design or Morphological pattern of the Pontics

 Determines the length of the FPD – depends upon periodontal condition

 Determines the prognosis of tooth supported FPD

FUNCTIONS  Provides determination of the occlusal plane

 Determines the occlusal scheme for the FPD

 Determines the integrity of the dental arch

 Ideal crown - root ratio - 1:2.

Tooth Area mm2 Ranking Area mm2 Ranking

• Stress breaker is non rigid connector with key in a keyway

• Keyway is usually placed on distal surface of the pier abutment

• Key is attached to mesial surface of pontic of distal edentulous

• Forces acting on distal end of distal edentulous space will

• More than average bone support should be present

2. • Sufficient tooth structure should be available

 Replacement of first premolar with second premolar and first

 Fundamental of fixed prosthodontics ; Shillingburg et al,3rded.

REFERENCES  Modern practice of Fixed prosthodontics – Johnston , 4th ed.

 Theory & practice of fixed prosthodontics – Tylman

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