S.

ANAND
DEPARTMENT OF PROSTHODONTICS
 The Prime purpose for creating a classification system
for partially dentulous arches is to enable the dentist
to clearly communicate to a listener or reader the
condition of an oral cavity in which missing teeth are
to be replaced with a prosthesis.

An additional benefit of a workable classification

system is that it is a contributing aid in the learning of
the fundamentals of design.
 Swenson classification system 1905
 Cummer’s classification system 1922
 Kennedy’s classification system 1925
 Bailyn’s system 1928
 Neurohr’s system 1939
 Mauk’s system 1942
 Beckett’s system 1953
 Friedman’s system 1954
 The Austin-Lidge classification system 1957
 Skinner’s system 1959
 Applegate-Kennedy’s system 1960
The four primary classes
represent only slight
modification of the kennedy’s
system, whereas the
modifications of these four
classes are changed
more drastically.
Class I – An arch with one free end denture
base.
Class II – an arch with two free end denture
bases.
Class III – an arch with an edentulous space
posteriorly on one or both sides of the
mouth but with teeth present anteriorly
and posteriorly to each space.
Class IV – an arch with an anterior
edentulous space and with five or more
anterior teeth missing.
Swenson’s class I partially Swenson’s class II partially
edentulous condition edentulous condition

Swenson’s class III partially

edentulous condition

Swenson’s class IV partially Swenson’s class V partially

edentulous condition edentulous condition
 The first
Class I – asystem to receive
partially recognition from the
edentulous
profession
arch was one
in which twoproposed by Cummer in 1920.
diagonally
His classification
opposite teethbased upon the choice
are chosen as of natural
teeth for direct
abutment retainers
teeth
Class II - a partially edentulous
arch in which two diametrically
opposite tooth are chosen as
abutment teeth for the attachment
of the direct retainers with an
indirect retainer as an auxillary
attachment.
 Class III – a partially dentulous
arch in which one or more teeth on
the same side are chosen as
abutment teeth for the attachment
of the direct retainers with or
without indirect retainer.
Class IV - a partially dentulous
arch in which three or more teeth
are chosen as abutment teeth for
the attachment of direct retainers.
It is based on the relationship of the
edentulous spaces to the abutment teeth.

Class I – Bilateral edentulous area located posterior to the

remaining natural teeth.

Class II – Unilateral edentulous area located posterior to the

remaining natural teeth.

Class III – Unilateral edentulous area with natural teeth remaining

both anterior and posterior teeth

Class IV – A single but bilateral (Crossing the mid-line) edentulous

area located anterior to the remaining natural teeth.
 Class I maxillary arch Class II mandibular arch

class III mandibular arch Class IV maxillary arch

 Bailyn introduced a classification
system based on whether the
prosthesis is tooth- borne, tissue,
or a combination of the two.
Class P I – Edentulous region posterior to the
cuspid between two available abutments not
more than three teeth distant from each
other.
Class P II – Edentulous bilateral regions
posterior to the cuspids with one available
abutment tooth for each denture base area.
Class P III – edentulous region atleast three
teeth posterior to the distal abutment.
Class A III – edentulous space anterior to the
first bicuspid and between two teeth, more
Class A I P II – Edentulous region anterior to the
first bicuspid and between two available
abutments less than three teeth distant from
each other.
Class P I P II – both edentulous regions posterior
to the cuspids: only one tooth available for
anchorage, the other two separated by a distance
of at least three teeth.
Class A I P III – has three edentulous spaces : One
of these is anterior to the first bicuspid with two
available anchor teeth separated by a distance of
less than three teeth, another posterior to the
Class P1 Class PII

Class P III Class A III

Class A I P II Class P I P II

Class A I P III
 A partial denture situatin falls under this
classification when there are teeth posterior to
all spans and when there are no more then
four teeth missing in any space.
A - Posterior teeth are missing and the anterior
teeth are in place.
B - Posterior teeth are missing, and some
anterior teeth are missing
C -Anterior teeth are missing and posterior
teeth are in place.
D-Anterior teeth are missing, and some
posterior teeth are missing. These may be
unilateral or bilateral spaces.
 Neurohr’s Class II division 1 Neurohr’s Class II division 1
Variation 1a partially edentulous Variation 1a partially edentulous
Condition Condition

Neurohr’s Class II division 1 Neurohr’s Class II division 2

Variation 1b partially edentulous Variation 1a partially edentulous
Condition Condition
 Mauk offered the profession a system of
classification based on the

1)Number, length and position of the spaces

and

2)The number and position of the remaining

teeth
Class I – has bilateral spaces and teeth remaining in anterior segment.
Class II – has bilateral posterior spaces and one or more teeth at the
posterior end of the one space.
Class III – bilateral posterior spaces and one or more teeth at the
posterior end of both space.
Class IV – unilateral posterior space with or without teeth at the
posterior end of the space.
Class V – Has anterior space only
Class VI – Has irregular spaces around the arch.
Class I Class II

Class III
Class IV

Class V Class VI
 Godfrey described a system based
on the location and extent of the
edentulous spaces where teeth are to
be replaced. A feature of Godfrey's
system is that there are no
subdivisions or modifications to the
main classes.
Class A – has tooth borne denture bases in
the anterior part of the mouth
Class B – has mucosa borne denture bases
in the anterior of the mouth
Class C – has tooth borne denture bases in
the posterior part of the mouth
Class D – has mucosa borne denture bases
in the posterior part of mouth
 Godfrey’s class A partially Godfrey’s class B partially
edentulous condition edentulous condition

Godfrey’s class C partially Godfrey’s class D partially

dentulous condition edentulous condition
 Beckett proposed a system which, like the one
suggested by Bailyn, is based on whether the
denture base is tooth-borne, tissue-borne, or a
combination of the two. The three basic
classifications were:

Class 1- saddles (denture bases) which are tooth-

borne;
Class 2, saddles (denture bases) which
are mucosa-borne;

Class 3, inadequate abutments to

support the saddle (denture base)
 Friedman introduced a system in 1953
based on three essential segment types
occurring either as discrete or as
continuous segments. The letter A
designates an anterior spaces (i.e., one or
more of the six anterior teeth). The letter B
designates a bounded posterior spaces.
The letter C refers to a cantilever situation
or a posterior free-end spaces.
Friedman’s type A partially Friedman’s type B partially
edentulous condition edentulous condition

Friedman’s type C partially

edentulous condition
 The Austin-Lidge classification
system in which the letter A is used to
designate an anterior spaces of
spaces, P designates posterior spaces,
and Bi designates
Class A1 a bilateral
conditions.
Class A 1 – a missing anterior tooth on
one side only.
Class A 2 – anterior teeth missing on
both right and left sides.
Class P 1 – Posterior teeth are missing
on one side only
Class P 2- Posterior teeth are missing
on both right and left sides
Class A 1 P1 – anterior and posterior
teeth are missing on one side only.
Austin and Lidge class A2 Austin and Lidge class P2
Partially Edentulous condition Partially Edentulous condition

Austin and Lidge class AB1 Austin and lidge class PB1
Partially Edentulous condition Partially Edentulous condition
 Skinners offered the profession a
new and different classification in
1957. He noted that many removable
partial denture classification in the
past have been based on the number
of teeth remaining, as exemplified by
the work of Cummer.
Skinner’s class I partially Skinner’s class IV partially
edentulous condition edentulous condition

Skinner’s class II partially Skinner’s class V partially

edentulous condition edentulous condition
Applegate offers a system which is a
modification of the Kennedy system.
 Kennedy-Applegate’s class I Kennedy-Applegate’s class II
partially edentulous condition partially edentulous condition

Kennedy-Applegate’s
plegate’s class IV class V
ntulous condition partially edentulous
condition
 Conclusion
 The treatment plan of any edentulous
region depends on its classification
which eventually decides the success
of the prosthesis.
 Though many systems of
classifications are available, the most
universally used one is the Applegate
– Kennedy System for its simplicity.