Clinical application of a newly developed surveying system for designing and fabricating removable partial dentures.

In this paper, some problems in commercially available surveying systems were discussed, and a clinical technique for designing and fabricating clasps by using an improved 'Digital Surveyor' and a computer system were presented. This system has the advantages as follows: (1) morphological factors on abutment teeth could be measured and evaluated using the improved 'Digital Surveyor' and its accessories set, (2) clasps providing with proper mechanical properties according to various conditions in the mouth could be designed and fabricated precisely and easily. It became clear that conventional surveying methods involved empirical rules should be re-examined and replaced by the more rational surveying method like this system.