Precision attachment – a review

Precision attachments are small interlocking devices to connect prosthesis and abutments that offer a variety of solutions to the challenge of balance between functional stability and cosmetic appeal. A conservative treatment that can delay or eliminate future prosthodontic problems should be considered, as rehabilitation of a patient with few teeth remaining is challenging. Inherent instability of dentures or resiliency of the supporting tissues during functional and parafunctional movements causes movement of the denture which makes the complete denture patients unsatisfied. Precision attachment plays important role to eliminate such problems. Precision attachments have wide applications, used in fixed removable bridge, removable partial dentures, overdentures, implant retained overdentures, and maxillofacial prosthesis. Attachment retained overdentures helps in distribution of masticatory forces, minimizes trauma to abutments and soft tissues, attenuate ridge resorption, improves the esthetics and retains proprioception. Attachments are mechanical devices for the fixation and stabilization of a dental prosthesis and include frictional, internal, intracoronal, extracoronal, key-key way, parallel, precision and slotted types. (Boucher 1976). Attachments are used as alternative to clasps in removable partial denture therapy for both aesthetic and functional purpose. In this article, different systems of classification of attachments, its indications, contraindications, advantages and disadvantages have been reviewed.