The present research evaluated the viability of the direct preparation of lingual rest seats in maxillary central incisors. Ten completely sound specimens were embedded in acrylic resin supports and distributed among five specialists who prepared the rest seats. The coronary portion of the teeth was then cut using a previously made incisal index as guide. The preparation was characterized by angular and linear measurements that enabled a comparative analysis between the original outline of the tooth and its respective prepared model, while permitting the determination of dentinal exposure. The observations were undertaken in digitized images of these outlines utilizing a specific computer program. From the fifty models prepared under well-established criteria, thirty-three showed perforation of the enamel. Conclusively, the maxillary central incisor may not be indicated to receive a directly prepared lingual rest seat.
Denture; partial; removable; Image processing; computer assisted
