What is magnetic attachment?
The magnetic attachment is a root teeth attachment that uses a small magnet to maintain the denture.
It is used with a keeper on the abutment tooth or the implant, and the magnetic assembly in which a small magnet sealed within stainless steel contained in the denture.
The magnetic force of the magnetic assembly pulls the keeper and exerts retaining force.
5 features of magnetic attachment
Feature
1
simple wearing and removing
Since the maintaining force of the magnetic attachment is provided by magnetic force, it is only necessary to put in contact with the magnetic assembly and the keeper to wear it, hence the angle of attachment can be freely adjusted. Mechanical pressure for attachment is not needed. Also, as a result of the magnet feature, it is easily removed by sliding it to the side.
Taking into account the denture management of the elderly people requiring care (which is predicted to increase), stable attachment and easy wearing and removal are considered highly effective*1.
*1: Citation from the Japanese Association for Dental Science “Basic Approach to Treatment of Plate Denture with Magnetic Attachment as Supporting Device” August 2021.
Feature
2
easy cleaning
Magnetic attachment doesn’t require metallic springs or other fixating parts. The surface is smooth and as a result the cleaning is easy.
Feature
3
less stress for the abutment tooth
Thanks to its feature of being prone to lateral displacement, it is considered difficult to generate harmful lateral forces and rotational forces on it.
It’s also considered to protect the abutment tooth from lateral displacement forces as a result of not generating a strong retaining force against side forces*1.
*2: Citation from “The Partial Denture of Dental Students” by Haruyasu Mitani, Yoshinori Kobayashi, Yasumasa Akagawa, Ishiyaku Publishers, Inc.
Feature
4
aesthetic
Because the inner magnetic assembly of denture attracts the denture, metallic parts are less exposed compared to dentures using only clasps. This makes it easier to design a more aesthetic denture.
Feature
5
improvement of crown root ratio of the abutment tooth
The clinical crown root ratio of the abutment teeth is one of the factors that have a significant effect on the loss of the abutment teeth.
Even when the crown root ratio has decreased, the tooth can be used effectively as an abutment tooth and the ratio can be improved.
“Abutment teeth must be treated if they are 1:1 or less, and magnetic attachments are effective.”
From Japanese Association for Dental Science “Basic Approach to Treatment of Plate Denture with Magnetic Attachment as Supporting Device,” August 2021
