A new method of attaching cast gold occlusal surfaces to acrylic resin denture teeth

Historically, cast gold occlusal surfaces for complete or removable partial dentures have been fabricated with retentive loops or beads and luted to prepared denture teeth with acrylic resin or attached to tooth-colored, heat-processed acrylic resin. At present, alternatives to mechanical retention for attaching resin to metal include chemical bonding of the resin after placement of intermediate ceramic or tin layers and the use of chemically adhesive resin cements. Compared to mechanical retention, the chemical bonding of resin to metal requires less gold and allows more room for properly contoured and esthetic resin. Additionally, this chemical bond limits microleakage at the resin-metal interface. In the following technique, cast gold occlusal surfaces are fitted to onlay preparations of acrylic resin denture teeth set in a processed denture base. The castings are air-abraded, tin plated, and luted to the denture teeth with Panavia dental adhesive. This method is quick, easy, and economical.