Philosophies and principles of removable partial overdentures

Retention of remaining teeth for use as overdenture abutments has been widely used in the discipline of complete denture therapy, but has frequently been overlooked as a means of enhancing removable partial denture therapy. There are considerable advantages in retaining even severely compromised teeth that can be included in a treatment plan for providing removable partial overdentures. The value of such teeth in providing aesthetic improvement, residual bone retention, denture base support, primary or secondary retention, and improved stability should be of primary importance in treatment planning.