Comparative clinical evaluation of removable partial dentures made of two different materials in Kennedy Applegate class II partially edentulous situation

BackgroundCast Chromium Cobalt alloy has been the material of choice for fabricating Removable Partial Dentures (RPDs) but has certain drawbacks. Newer materials like the flexible Nylon based Super Polyamide have been introduced to overcome these drawbacks. The present study has compared the above two materials for nine clinical parameters.MethodThe study was carried out on 30 patients presenting with a Kennedy Applegate class II partially edentulous situation who were divided into two equal groups and clinically assessed.ResultStatistically significant results were obtained in favor of flexible RPDs, in the parameters of ‘aesthetics’ and ‘overall patient satisfaction’. Both groups showed more or less similar values for ‘frequency of fracture of the prosthesis during usage’ with the incidence being slightly higher for patients wearing the cast RPDs. The clinical parameters of ‘oral soft tissue tolerance’, ‘gingival health’, ‘periodontal health’ and ‘adaptability in areas with undercut’ were statistically at par for all the 30 patients thus suggesting the comparable biocompatibility of the two materials. The highlight of this study was the relative ease in fabrication of the flexible RPDs as compared to the cast RPDs.ConclusionBased on the favorable clinical results of this study, it can be summarized that the flexible RPDs is a viable alternative to cast RPDs in Kennedy Applegate class II partially edentulous situation in the short term.