SURYEYING

(PROSTODONTIC LECTURE NOTE)

 DENTAL SURVEYOR
• Define: an instrument used to
determine the relative
parallelism of 2 or more
surfaces of the teeth or other
parts of the cast of the dental
arch.
• Therefore: primary purpose of
surveying is – to identify the
modifications of oral
structures that are necessary
to fabricate a removable
partial denture (RPD) that wll
have a successful prognosis.
 Description of Dental Surveyor
• The principle parts:
- Platform on which the base is moved
- Vertical arm that supports superstructure
- Horizontal arm form which surveying tool suspends
- Table to which the cast is attached
- Base on which the table swivels
- Paralleling tool or guideline marker
- Mandrel for holding special tools
 Surveying the Master Cast
• The objectives of surveying the master cast as follows:

1. To select the most suitable path of placement by following mouth preparations that
satisfy the requirements of guiding planes, retention, noninterference, and
esthetics.
2. To permit measurement of retentive areas and to identify the location of clasp
terminals in proportion to the flexibility of the clasp arm being used; flexibility will
depend on many of the following factors:
- The alloy used for the clasp
- Design n type of the clasp
- The form (round or half round)
- The length of the clasp from its point of origin to its terminal end
- And retention; (depend on the flexibility of the clasp arm, a magnitude of the
tooth undercut and the depth of clasp terminal is placed into this undercut).
3. To locate undesirable undercut areas that will be crossed by rigid part of the
restoration during placement and removable and must be eliminated by blockout
(with wax or plaster).
4. To trim blockout material parallel to the path of
placement before duplication.

The RPD must be designed so that:

a) It will not stress abutment teeth
b)It can easily placed and removed by the patient
c) Retained against reasonable dislodging forces
d)Not create unfavorable appearance
Step by Step Procedures in Surveying a
Diagnostic Cast
• Surveying of diagnostic cast
• Final path of placement
• Outlining the design on diagnostic cast
• Surveying master cast
• Measuring retentive undercuts
• Outlining design on master cast with graphite
pencil
Step by Step Procedures in Surveying a
Diagnostic Cast
Placement of cast : Attach the
cast to the adjustable surveyor
table by means of the clamp
provided. Position of adjustable
table do that occlusal surfaces of
the teeth are approximately
parallel to the platform.

1) Guiding Planes
-determine the relative
parallelism of proximal surfaces
of all the potential abutment
teeth by contacting the
proximal surfaces with the
surveyor blade or diagnostic
stylus.
 1) Guiding Planes
• Alter the cast
anteroposteriorly until
these proximal surfaces are
in as close to parallel
relations to one another as
possible, or near enough
that they can made parallel
by recountouring.
• In making choice between
having contact with a
proximal surface at the
cervical area/contact the
marginal ridge ONLY.
 2) Retentive Areas
• By contacting buccal and
lingual surfaces of
abutment teeth with the
surveyor blade, the amount
of retention existing below
their height of convexity
may be determined.

• The angle of convergence is

best observed as a triangle
of light between the
surveyor blade and the
apical portion of the tooth
surface.
 2) Retentive Areas
• Alter the cast position by tilting it laterally
until similar retentive areas exist on the
principle abutment teeth.
• In tilting the cast laterally to establish
reasonable uniformity of retention, it is
necessary that the table be rotated about an
imaginary longitudinal axis without disturbing
the anteroposterior tilt previously established.
 3) Interference
• For mandibular arch:
- Check the lingual surfaces that will be crossed by a lingual
bar major connector (if is the choice) during placement and
removal.
- Bony prominence and lingually inclined premolar teeth are
most common causes of interference to a lingual bar
connector.
- If bilateral interference is present, surgery or recountouring
of lingual tooth surfaces is required.
- If is only unilateral, change in a lateral tilt can avoid the
interference. In changing the path of placement, to prevent
interference, previously establish guiding planes and an
ideal location for retentive elements may lost.
 3) Interference
• For maxillary arch:
- Interference to major connectors rarely exists in the
maxillary arch.
- Areas of interference are usually found on buccally
inclined posterior teeth and those bony areas on the
buccal aspect of edentulous spaces.
- This interference can either be blocked out, alter by
tilt, recountoured or cast restoration can be on the
tooth with interference.
- Nonretentive and stabilizing clasp arms are best
located between the middle third and gingival third of
the crown rather than the occlusal third.
 4) Esthetic
• The path of placement determines the
location of clasps and position of artificial
teeth.
• Depending on esthetics, the clasp designed
can be modified as:
- gingivally approaching bar clasp
- Slightly placing the circumferential clasp arms
cervically.