Prosthodontics & Occlusion · patient case question
Ante's law is applied to which type of prosthesis?
Patient case: A denture that will not stay put
demo: 71-year-old male
chief: His upper denture drops when he speaks and food collects under it. He also has a sore lump at the front.
history: He has worn the same maxillary complete denture for fourteen years and has never had it relined. Only the mandibular anterior teeth from 22 to 27 remain.
meds: None relevant.
findings: The maxillary anterior ridge is displaceable and mobile on palpation while the posterior ridge is firm. A folded, fibrous ridge of tissue lies in the labial sulcus adjacent to the denture flange. The mandibular anterior teeth show generalised wear.
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: D. Fixed partial dentures
- A. Removable partial denture planning uses the Kennedy classification with Applegate's rules, together with support from both teeth and the residual ridge.
- B. Implant planning is governed by bone volume and quality, implant number and distribution, and the biomechanics of the prosthesis rather than by periodontal surface area.
- C. Complete dentures have no abutment teeth, so the concept does not apply.
- D. Correct. Ante's law states that the combined periodontal ligament surface area of the abutment teeth should equal or exceed that of the teeth being replaced. It is a guideline for planning fixed bridgework and for judging whether a span is too long for its abutments.
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