BACKGROUND
This report describes an incremental design refinement of the implant-crown-retained removable partial denture (ICRPD) for maxillary edentulous rehabilitation, comprising a non-cross-arch configuration with segmented short-span splinted crowns and occlusal-rest-free ring clasps.
CASE REPORT
A 61-year-old man presented with maxillary edentulism and dissatisfaction with his previous removable partial denture, which he had worn for 2 years with progressively deteriorating retention. Clinical and radiographic examinations revealed partial edentulism and chronic periodontitis. After initial periodontal therapy, teeth #13, #14, and #23 were extracted; implants were placed at sites #13, #14, #23, and #24. Following osseointegration, an ICRPD was fabricated using short-span splinted implant crowns and pure titanium ring clasps without occlusal rests. The prosthesis provided retention through implant crowns with combined implant-mucosal support. At the 4-year follow-up, probing depths were 1 to 3 mm without bleeding on probing. The patient reported high satisfaction; the OHIP-EDENT score (Chinese version) decreased from 5 to 2, and the visual analog scale pain score decreased from 3 to 0. Radiographic assessment showed marginal bone loss of 0.16 to 1.67 mm. Cone-beam computed tomography confirmed stable marginal bone levels. No biological or mechanical complications were observed.
CONCLUSIONS
This case demonstrates that the refined ICRPD design, incorporating occlusal-rest-free ring clasps and short-span splinted crowns, provided reliable retention and long-term stability over 4 years, without mechanical complications and with high patient satisfaction. These findings support the clinical feasibility of this design, which may represent a promising option for appropriately selected patients; it is hypothesized to reduce the prosthetic span and limit unfavorable load transmission to the implant necks.

Keywords: Case Reports; Dental Implantation; Denture Design; Denture, Partial, Removable