Prosthodontics & Occlusion · patient case question
What is the MAIN ADVANTAGE of a precision attachment over a conventional clasp?
Patient case: Denosumab, Kennedy Class I RPD with a precision attachment on #21
Scenario: Patient with OSTEOPOROSIS taking DENOSUMAB. Kennedy Class I with a PRECISION ATTACHMENT on tooth #21. The chief complaint involves MOBILITY TYPE 3; the COLD TEST WAS NEGATIVE but the tooth was SENSITIVE TO PERCUSSION. A periapical shows one crown carrying the attachment system, bone resorption to the MIDDLE THIRD of the root, and an inflamed (not infected) periodontal ligament.
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: B. Esthetics — no visible metal clasp arm on the abutment
- A. Precision attachments are considerably MORE expensive, requiring crowns on the abutments and precise laboratory work.
- B. Correct. The chief advantage of an intracoronal precision attachment is ESTHETIC — the retentive element is hidden within the contour of the abutment crown, eliminating the display of metal that a clasp arm produces on an anterior or premolar abutment.
- C. Load distribution is arguably worse in distal-extension cases: the rigid attachment transmits torquing forces directly to the abutment, which is the mechanism behind this very case.
- D. Maintenance is more demanding, not simpler — the male/female components wear and require periodic replacement or activation.
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