抄録
The aim of this research was to survey various denture retainers used for defective mandibles. The survey was conducted by retrospectively checking medical records and protocols. The retainer types and numbers were listed with regard to the type of mandibular defects such as marginal resection, or segmental resection with/without reconstruction. The results revealed that the most frequently used direct retainers were the wrought wire clasp following the Akers clasp regardless of the type of mandibular defect. The wire clasps were mostly located in the anterior teeth region whereas Akers clasps were applied in the posterior teeth region. The observation period of each retainer did not differ between the resection types, however, the Akers clasps functioned for longer in the marginal resection cases compared to the segmental resection cases. In the segmental resection cases, the number of indirect retainers did not differ but the ratio of the number of retainers to the number of remaining teeth was higher than that in the marginal resection cases. Since cases of mandibular reconstruction have increased, there is also a growing need for prostheses for defective jaws for improving oral function. This survey suggested important considerations for the ideal design of dentures for defective mandibles.
