Minor Connectors

1. Minor Connectors • Connect 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

3. Types of Minor Connectors • Embrasure Minor Connectors • Between two adjacent teeth

4. 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

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

6. Gridwork Minor Connectors • Connect the denture base and teeth to the major connector

7. Gridwork Minor Connectors • Adjacent edentulous spaces • Usually connect major connector to direct retainers • Open lattice work or mesh types

8. 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

10. Gridwork Relief • Mechanical retention of denture base resin • Allows the acrylic resin to flow under the gridwork

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

12. Relief Under the Gridwork • Should begin 1.5 - 2 mm from the abutment tooth

13. 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

15. 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

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

17. Gridwork Design Facially just over the crest of the residual ridge

18. Position of Major Connector Junction • Should be ≈ 2 mm medial to lingual surface of denture teeth • Ensures bulk of resin around teeth

19. Mandibular Tissue Stops • Contact of metal with cast at posterior of distal extension gridwork • Prevents distortion at free end during hydraulic pressure of processing

20. No Tissue Stops In Maxilla • Maxillary major connector acts as a tissue stop (no relief)

21. 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

22. Proximal Plates

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

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

25. Zero Degree Block-Out • Does not deviate from path of insertion • Instructions to the laboratory should state “Use zero degree blockout”