Fig. 2

In its totality the dentition of the human jaw consists of 16 teeth (or 14 without wisdom teeth) and passes through a myriad of stages during the process eventually leading to the loss of all teeth.

Since the remaining teeth can appear in an exceptionally large number of different combinations, it is virtually impossible to detail a treatment plan for each individual case.

For this very reason, the planning of a partial denture presents great difficulties. It has proven best during the planning not to work from the findings, but rather to concentrate on the individual elements making up the partial denture.

Fig. 3

The elements of the partial denture are:

-   the saddle(s)

-   the connector of the saddles

-   the anchorage

The saddles are the actual tooth replacements. They serve to compensate for the missing teeth and the lost alveolar bone (Fig. 1).

The saddles alone could not remain in place and must, therefore, be joined by a connecting element, or major connector.

The saddles and their major connector together form the partial denture base (Fig. 2).