Major and minor connectors are important component parts of partial dentures. Major connectors join the components on opposite sides of the dental arch and must provide rigidity while avoiding pressure on soft tissues. Minor connectors join the major connector to other parts like clasps, rests, and the denture base. Both major and minor connectors work together to distribute forces and provide retention, stability, and support for the partial denture.

1. Major and Minor
connectors
Presented under the supervision of DR.GAURAV SINGH
SIR by Abhishek Singh,BDS final year (dr.zadc,AMU)

3. Major connectors
The part of a partial removable dental prosthesis that joins the
components on one side of the arch to those on the opposite side
(GPT8).

4. Classification
1. Maxillary and mandibular – depending on where it is used.
2. Acrylic and metal – depending on the material used.
3. Rigid and non-rigid – depending on the movement of denture
base.

5. Requirements
1. Should be rigid: This allows stresses that are applied to any part of
partial denture to be distributed over entire supporting area.

6. 2. Must avoid impingement of free
gingival margin
This is a highly vascular area which can get injured by pressure.
Definitive distance must be maintained between:-
(A)the border of the major connector and
(B)the free gingival margin.

7. Maxilla – minimum 6 mm distance
between border of major connector and free gingival
margin.

8. Mandible – minimum 3 mm distance between
border of major connector and free gingival margin.

9. 3. The border of major connector should run
parallel to gingival
margins

10. If margin must be crossed, the crossing
should be at right angles to produce least contact and relief
must be provided

11. 4. Provide vertical support and hence protect the soft
tissue.
5. Provide indirect retention where indicated.
6. Provide for positioning of denture bases where
needed.

12. 7. Should be self-cleansing
and not cause food
entrapment.
The beading is done on
the master cast before
duplication and should
have a width and depth
of 0.5–1.0 mm using
spoon excavator or small
round bur.

13. 8. Maintain patient comfort and should
not interfere with speech and
phonation

14. (A) Margins should
taper towards the
tissues

15. (B) rounded
margins

16. (C) should end in the
valleys of rugae.

17. (D) Borders should be curved and
inconspicuous to tongue.

18. (E) Tooth embrasures
used to hide metal
extension onto teeth.

19. (F) Major connector should be
symmetrical
and cross the palate in a straight line.

20. (G) Maxillary major
connector can be
designed to avoid the
tori.

21. Types of maxillary major connectors
Palatal bar
Palatal strap
Anteroposterior, or double palatal bar
Horseshoe-shaped, or U-shaped connector
Closed horseshoe, or anteroposterior palatal strap
Complete palate

22. Palatal bar
It is a bar running across the palate which is a narrow half
oval
in cross-section with its thickest point in the centre.

23. Palatal bar

24. Palatal strap
It is a wide, thin band of metal that runs across the palate.

25. Palatal strap

26. Anteroposterior or double
palatal bar
It has basically two bars – one placed anteriorly and the
other
posteriorly, connected by flat longitudinal elements on
each side
of lateral slope of palate

27. Anteroposterior or double palatal bar

28. Horseshoe or u-shaped
connector
It is a thin band of metal running along the lingual surface of
posterior
teeth.

29. Horseshoe or u-shaped connector

30. Closed horseshoe or
anteroposterior palatal strap
Basically two palatal straps – one anterior and the other
posterior, connected by flat longitudinal elements on each
side of lateral slope of palate.

31. Closed horseshoe or anteroposterior
palatal strap

32. Complete palate
The uniform metal coverage extends over the entire
palate

33. Complete palate

34. Maxillary major connectors indicated for
kennedy’s classification
 Class I: Closed horseshoe, complete palate
 Class II: Palatal strap, closed horseshoe
 Class III: Palatal strap, palatal bar
 Class IV: Horseshoe, closed horseshoe, complete palate

35. Mandibular major connectors:-additional specific
requirements for
mandibular major connectors:
1. They should be rigid
without being bulky
• because of space limitations caused by
floor of mouth,lingual frenum, tongue
and mandibular tori.

36. 2. Relief is always
given.
More relief given when soft
tissues slope towards tongue
(bottom) than when they are
vertical (top).

37. 3. The inferior border should not impinge
on the tissues in the floor of
the mouth.
Height of floor of the mouth is
measured
intraorally
Transferred to cast.

38. Types of mandibular major
connectors
Lingual bar
Sublingual bar
Lingual plate
Double lingual bar
Labial bar

39. Lingual bar
It is a half pear shaped bar with
the superior border located
below the gingival border and
the gingival margin

40. Lingual bar

41. Sublingual bar
It is kidney-shaped,
placed deeper into the
anterior lingual sulcus
when adequate space is
not available for lingual
bar

42. Lingual plate
it is basically a pear-
shaped lingual bar with
superior border
extending onto the
lingual surfaces of teeth
as a thin solid plate of
metal.

43. Lingual plate
In case of gingival recession and spacing in the
anteriors, cut back of the plate can be done to
prevent visibility of metal

44. The anterior lingual plate must always be supported at each
end by rests no further posterior than mesial fossa of first
premolars
Mesial rests on first premolars.

45. Double lingual
bar
The lower bar is similar to
a lingual bar, pear-
shaped in cross-section.
The upper bar should be
half-oval in cross-section,
the middle portion is
removed.

46. Double lingual bar

47. Double lingual bar
Rests on mesial surface of
premolars.
Double lingual bar with step
back design

48. Labial bar
Labial bar – major
connector placed labially
Labial bar is indicated when mandibular
anterior teeth are lingually inclined
preventing the use of lingual major
connectors.

49. Maxillary major connectors

50. Mandibular major connectors

51. Minor connectors
The connecting link between the:-
(A)major connector or
base of a partial removable dental prosthesis and
(B)the other units of the prosthesis, such as the clasp assembly,
indirect retainers, occlusal rests, or cingulum rests.
(GPT8)

52. Functions
• Joins major connector with other component parts.
• Transfers and distributes functional stress to the abutment teeth
and residual ridge.
• Transfers effect of retainers, rests and stabilizing components to
the remainder of the denture.

53. Classification
1. Clasp assembly – minor connector
2. Indirect retainer or auxiliary rest minor connector
3. Denture base minor connector
4. Approach arm minor connector

54. Clasp assembly minor
connector
This connects the clasp assembly to the major connector.

55. Clasp assembly minor connector –
Two types :-
Minor connector adjacent to edentulous
space.
Minor connector in
embrasure.

56. Indirect retainer or
auxiliary rest minor
connector
It connects the indirect
retainer and auxiliary rest to
the major connector

57. Denture base minor connector
• This joins the denture base to the major connector.
• This is of the following types: 1. Latticework construction
2. Mesh construction
3. Bead, wire or nail head
construction

58. 1-Latticework construction
It consists of two struts of metal running longitudinally
along the
edentulous space, with smaller struts running across the
crest of
the ridge connecting the longer struts.

59. Latticework construction
Latticework denture base minor connector
for
mandibular arch.
Maxillary latticework – border of major
connector acts as a longitudinal strut.

60. 2-Mesh
construction
Consists of a thin sheet of
metal with multiple small
holes extending similar to
latticework construction.
It also requires relief.

61. 3-Bead, wire or
nail head
These are used with a metal
denture base. No relief is
provided. The acrylic resin is
attached only to the superior
surface of metal base and
retention is achieved by
projections in the form of
beads, wires or nail heads

62. Approach arm
minor connector
This serves as an approach
arm for a bar clasp (vertical
projection clasp), supports the
direct retainer and engages
the undercut from the gingival
margin

63. SUMMARY
The component parts of the cast partial denture perform specific
roles
in providing retention, stability and support for the prosthesis. Their
judicious use also helps to preserve the health of the tissues.. Hence,
the
role of each component should be thoroughly understood to help
design
the partial denture for different clinical situations.