Surveying

Dr. Mohamed Ashour

Assistant Professor of Removable Prosthodontic,
Faculty of Dental Medicine, Al- Azher University

The Component Parts

of Removable
Partial Dentures

The Component Parts

of Removable Partial Dentures
Denture Base
Artificial Teeth
Supporting Rests
Connectors: Major Connectors
Retainers

Minor Connectors
Direct retainers
Indirect Retainers

Surveying
It is the procedure of
locating and delineating
the contour and position
of the abutment teeth
and associated
structures before
designing a removable
partial denture

Why do we survey dental casts ?

and What are the objectives ?

A partial denture must be designed so

that it can be easily inserted and
removed by the patient,
It should be retained against reasonable
dislodging forces and have the best
possible appearance.

EssEntial
tErminology

Undercut
Survey line
Guiding planes
Path of insertion and
path of removal of the
denture.

 Undercuts on Teeth:
Is a dig or a burrow lie below the height

of contour .

Height of contour:
which is the most bulbous and convex
part of the tooth, also called maximum
bulge .

The Survey Line

Is a line outlined on the cast by A surveyor
marking the greatest prominence of tooth
contour (height of contour)

Definitions
Height of contour
Undercut = Infrabulge

Suprabulge

Undercut: An undercut is formed when the

base of an object is smaller than
its top

Undercut Area

No undercut

Survey line

Undercut Area

Types of undercuts
Tooth Undercuts
(Proximal undercuts)

Soft Tissues or bony

Undercuts(on lingual
side of ridge)

Partially edentulous mouth has

many undercuts that result due to
I- Bulbous shape of the crowns of natural
teeth resulting in buccal and lingual
undercuts.
2- The inclination of the long axes of teeth
in relation to A vertical line
3- The inclination of soft tissues or bone
to A vertical line
4- Proliferation of soft tissues covering the
edentulous ridge

Types of undercuts
1-Desirable Undercuts
2-Undesirable Undercuts

All the Undercuts are

Undesirable undercuts
Except
That used for denture retention

Components of
metallic removable
partial dentures are all
rigid,
with the exception of
the flexible retentive
clasp arm located in
an undercut area for
retaining the
restoration against
Flexible clasp arm engaging
dislodging forces
tooth undercut

Path of insErtion
and
Path of rEmoval of a
dEnturE

Path of Insertion
The direction in which a restoration moves
from the point of initial contact with the
supporting teeth to the terminal resting
position where the occlusal rests are seated
and the denture base is in contact with the
tissue

Path of Removal
The direction of movement of the restoration
from its resting position to the last contact
with the supporting teeth". It is the reverse
of the path of insertion

Selection of The Path of Insertion

The Most Favorable Path of Insertion (PI) Is
That Perpendicular to the Occlusal Plane

Most Patients Tend to Seat Their

Dentures Under Biting Force

If

If

Displacement of the Prosthesis Is Anticipated

With the Least Displacing Forces
Undercuts

are Present but Not Efficient at

the Zero Tilt

Another Path of Insertion

Should Be Decided

Factors Affecting Path of Insertion

Interferences
- Changing the path of insertion
- Contouring the tooth surface
- Surgery to remove interfering structures
- Retentive undercuts
should be equal in depth and permit the location
of clasp tips in the gingival third of the tooth
- Esthetics
Made possible with less clasp metal and less
base material displayed
Health of teeth used as abutment
Place the clasp on the stronger abutment
Guiding planes

Guiding planes
Flat Axial Surfaces
In an occluso-gingival direction
on the proximal or lingual
surfaces of teeth.
Parallel To The Path Of Insertion
Help in guiding the prosthesis
during insertion and removal

Guiding planes

The functions of guiding planes

Guide the prosthesis in or out of place
without exerting excessive forces against
the teeth
The frictional contact of the prosthesis
against these parallel surfaces, contribute
to the retention of the prosthesis
Provide bracing and stability when they
are located on the axial lingual surface
of the tooth
Lowering the Height of Contour

Guide the prosthesis in or out of place without

exerting excessive forces against the teeth

Aid in Stabilizing the Prosthesis Against

Horizontal Stress

THE DENTAL SURVEYOR

It is a paralleling instrument
used to determine the survey
line of teeth, identify and
measure tooth undercuts and
to determine the relative
parallelism of the surfaces of
teeth and other areas on the
cast

Parts of the
Dental Surveyor

A- The Base
B- Vertical Upright Column
C- Cross Arm with Spindle Housing
D- The Vertical Spindle With Tool
Holder
E- Screw To Lock The Spindle
F- Tool Holder
H- The Surveyor Table
M- Ball Retaining Ring
N- Tool Rack
O- Storage Compartment

Surveying Tools
1- Analyzing Rods

2- Carbon Marker
3- Undercut Gauge
4- Wax Trimmer

Analyzing Rod
ggg

Carbon Marker

False survey line

X
Moved around the tooth
and along the alveolar
ridge

Undercut Gauges

Of an inch
??? of mm.

Undercut Gauges
. 01
01

. 02
02

. 03
03

Undercut Gauge

Excessive retention areas: Require

tooth alteration to lower the height of
contour so we can keep the I-bar
retention contact close to the cervical
1/3

Undercut Gauges

Wax Trimmer

Wax Trimmer

OBJECTIVES OF
SURVEYING

Permit an Accurate Charting of the Required

Mouth Preparations
Determine the Most Acceptable Path of
Placement and Removal
Determine the relative parallelism of teeth
surfaces that act as guiding planes
Determine soft, bony or tooth undercuts and
areas of interferences
Identify and Measure Tooth Undercuts
Delineate Height of Contour
Trimming Blockout Material Parallel to the
Path of Placement
Recording the Cast Position

PRINCIPLES OF
SURVEYING

1- Interference
Features of the mouth which interfere with
easy insertion and removal of a denture

Examples

Undercut Alveolar Ridges The labial undercut

here is a source of interference

Mandibular Tori

Severe Lingual Inclination Of Teeth

Recontouring the tooth surface

The prosthesis can goes smoothly into place

without interference after analyzing the proximal
tooth surfaces and making the necessary alteration

The location of the undercut area can be

changed by changing the tilting

The location of the undercut area can be

changed by tilting the cast anteriorly or lateral

A Cast in a Tilted
Relationship
Represents a Path
of Placement
Toward the Side
of the Cast That Is
Tilted Upward

Cast at zero tilt.

Creation of undercut by tilting cast

Without guiding planes, Clasps designed are

ineffective when restoration is subject to dislodging
forces in occlusal direction.

Selection of The Path of Insertion

The Most Favorable Path of Insertion (PI) Is
That Perpendicular to the Occlusal Plane
Most Patients Tend to Seat Their
Dentures Under Biting Force

If

Undercuts are Present but

Not Efficient at the Zero Tilt

If

Displacement of the Prosthesis Is

Anticipated With the Least Displacing
Forces

Another Path of Insertion Should

Be Decided

Selection of the Path of Insertion

1- A Rotating or Curved Path
2- Tilting the Cast to
Create Suitable Undercuts
Equalize Undercuts on both Sides of the Arch
Place the Clasp Tips in a Better Esthetic Po.
Undercut Areas Should Be Present at Both
Zero Tilt and the New Tilt
Gross Inclination of the Cast to Create
Apparent Undercuts Should Be Avoided

PROCEDURES of SURVEYING
1- Placement of the Cast
2- Altering the Cast Position Anteroposteriorly
To Provide Parallel Proximal Surfaces That May
Act As Guiding Planes by
3- Tilt the Cast Laterally Until Equal Retentive
Areas Exist on the Principal Abutments

4- Eliminate Areas of Interference by Reshaping

Tooth Surfaces
5- Permits a More Esthetic Placement of
Clasp Arms Than the Othe

After Selection of the Proper Path of

Insertion, the Cast Is Secured in Place

* Drawing of the Survey Line

* Location of the clasp terminals

* Blocking the Undesirable

Undercuts

* Tripoding or Scoring

Tripoding the Cast

Scoring the Cast

Tripoding Or
Scoring are
Performed
While the
Master Cast is
Still Mounted
on the Survey
Table Without
Changing the
Tilt to
Preserve the
Established
Cast Tilt