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Devices designed to attach the plate (i.e., base) of a removable partial denture (including overlay dentures) to a fixed support (abutment) such as a natural tooth, tooth-root, dental implant, abutment crown, or tooth root stud. Dental attachments may consist of either a single, integral component: a preformed or custom-made metal casting or wire that fits around neighboring natural teeth to support a denture (i.e., clasps); or two components: one component is attached to the prosthesis and a second receptacle is attached to or anchored within a remaining tooth or other type of abutment (i.e., precision or semiprecision attachments, respectively). Both precision and semiprecision attachments may be resilient or rigid (i.e., nonresilient); dedicated attachments intended for partial dentures and overlay partial dentures (i.e., overdentures) are available. Dental attachments intended for fixed partial dental prostheses (i.e., bridges) are usually cemented in place to natural teeth.
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