Microcomputer-aided removable partial denture design: the next evolution.

Abstract

A microcomputer-based program for the design of removable partial dentures has applications in dental education and the clinical practice of dentistry. The program requires a Macintosh computer with a minimum configuration of one megabyte of random access memory and a hard disk drive with a HyperCard program. The instructional design uses an interactive, branching user interface to conduct a search of removable partial design data. The screen design is based on a dental laboratory work authorization, with graphic representations of partially edentulous dental arches and textual information that can be browsed in a nonlinear manner by the user. Approximately 160 removable partial denture designs are provided in the program, as well as the ability to modify the drawings and text to reflect various other clinical situations and to print the work authorization for submission to the dental laboratory.