Minor Connectors

1
Minor Connectors

• Connects components to the major connector
• Direct retainer
• Indirect retainer
• Denture base

2
Functions of Minor Connectors

• Unification and rigidity
• Stress distribution
• Bracing through contact with guiding planes
• Maintain a path of insertion

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Types of Minor Connectors

• Embrasure Minor Connectors
• Between two adjacent teeth

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Types of Minor Connectors

• Embrasure Minor Connectors
• Triangular shaped in cross section
• Joins major connector at right angles
• Relief placed so connector not directly on soft
  tissue

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Types of Minor Connectors

• Embrasure Minor Connectors
• Contact teeth above height of contour
• Prevents wedging tooth mobility
• Alternatively, difficult to seat

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Gridwork Minor Connectors

• Connect the denture base and teeth to the major
  connector

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Gridwork Minor Connectors

• Adjacent edentulous spaces
• Usually connect major connector to direct
  retainers
• Open lattice work or mesh types

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Gridwork Minor Connectors

• Mesh type
• Flatter
• Potentially more rigid
• Less retention for acrylic if openings are small

9
Gridwork Minor Connectors

• Lattice Type
• Potentially superior retention
• Interferes with setting of teeth, if struts are
  too thick
• Both types are acceptable if correctly designed

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Gridwork Relief

• Mechanical retention of denture base resin
• Allows the acrylic resin to flow under the
  gridwork

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Gridwork Relief

• Relief wax is placed in the edentulous areas
• 1 mm of relief

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Relief Under the Gridwork

• Should begin 1.5 - 2 mm from the abutment tooth

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Relief Under the Gridwork

• Creates a metal to tissue contact adjacent tooth
• Preferable since it wears less
• Less porous, (hygiene)

14
Junction With Major Connector

• Butt joint with slight undercut in metal
• Maximum bulk of the acrylic resin
• Prevents thin, weak edges fracturing

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Mandibular Gridwork Design

• Extend 2/3 of the way from abutment tooth to
  retromolar pad
• Never on the ascending portion of the ridge

Stewart's, Fig. 2-55
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Maxillary Gridwork Design

• Gridwork
• 2/3 of the length of from abutment to the hamular
  notch
• Major connector
• extends fully to the hamular notch

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Gridwork Design
Facially just over the crest of the residual ridge
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Position of Major Connector Junction

• Should be 2 mm medial to lingual surface of
  denture teeth
• Ensures bulk of resin around teeth

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Mandibular Tissue Stops

• Contact of metal with cast at posterior of distal
  extension gridwork
• Prevents distortion at free end during hydraulic
  pressure of processing

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No Tissue Stops In Maxilla

• Maxillary major connector acts as a tissue stop
  (no relief)

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Proximal Plates

• Minor connectors originating from the gridwork in
  an edentulous area
• Broad contact with guiding planes
• May or may not terminate in an occlusal rest

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Proximal Plates
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Proximal Plates

• Shifted slightly lingually
• Increases rigidity
• Enhances reciprocation
• Improves esthetics
• Often a triangular space below the guiding plane
  (an undercut)

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Proximal Plates

• Rigid, cannot be placed in undercut
• Block-out placed in undercuts prior to waxing and
  casting the framework

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Zero Degree Block-Out

• Does not deviate from path of insertion
• Instructions to the laboratory should state Use
  zero degree blockout