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Clasps in Removable Orthodontics

Article · March 2014

DOI: 10.3126/jonmc.v3i1.10046

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Review Article Orthodontics

CLASPS IN REMOVABLE ORTHODONTICS

Mustapha Mansuri, Varun Pratap Singh

Abstract
The success of removable orthodontic appliance mainly depends upon good retention of the
appliance. Adequate retention of a removable orthodontic appliance is achieved by incorporating
certain wire components, called clasp, which engages the undercuts on the teeth. Clasps are the
retentive components of removable orthodontic appliances. There are various designs of clasps
advocated for various clinical situations. This article presents an overview of various clasp designs
with advantages and disadvantages of each type and their uses in particular clinical situations.

Key words: Clasp, Removable orthodontic appliance, Retention.

 Permit usage in both fully and partially

Introduction erupted teeth
 Be passive
Clasps are wire components that aid in  Be easy to fabricate
retention of a removable appliance. [1] These are  Not impinge on the soft tissue
the retentive components that aid in keeping  Not interfere with normal occlusion
the appliance in place and resist displacement
of the appliance. Different clasps are [1] [3]

Mode of action 1. 'C' clasp

2. Jackson's clasp
Clasps act by engaging constricted areas of the 3. Arrowhead clasp
teeth, called undercuts. There are two types of 4. Adam's clasp
undercuts found in natural dentition. 5. Delta clasp
1. Buccal and Lingual cervical undercuts 6. Southend clasp
2. Mesial and Distal proximal undercuts 7. Triangular clasp
The mesial and distal undercuts of the teeth 8. Ball-end clasp
begin below the contact points. [2]These 9. Double ball-end clasp
undercuts are accessible very soon after a tooth 10. Schwarz clasp
has erupted. The buccal and lingual undercuts 11. Crozat clasp
are much less extensive and are not accessible 12. Duyzing clasp
until the teeth are fully erupted. Thus, a clasp 13. Eyelet clasp
that makes use of mesial and distal undercuts 14. Plint clasp
is more useful and more efficient than a clasp 15. Visick clasp
which makes use of buccal and lingual
undercuts. 1. ‘C’ clasp
It is also known as three-quarter clasp (3/4
An ideal clasp should [1]:- clasp) or Circumferential clasp. They are very
 Offer adequate retention simple clasp and engage bucco-cervical
undercut.

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Review Article Orthodontics

Advantages:-
 Simple to construct
 Offers adequate retention

Disadvantage:-
 Inadequate retention in partially erupted
teeth.

3. Arrowhead Clasp
This clasp was introduced by A M Schwarz in
1956. This clasp makes use of mesial and distal
undercuts. This clasp is made using half round
or round stainless steel wire of 0.7 mm
diameter. This clasp is made by use of a special
plier called ‘Tischler’s plier’.
Fig. Circumferential Clasp
Advantages:-
 Easy to construct
 Simple design
 Prevent mesial migration of tooth
Disadvantage:-
 It can’t be used in partially erupted
teeth.

2. Jackson's clasp
It is also known as Full clasp or ‘U’ clasp. It
was introduced by V H Jackson in 1906.This
clasp makes use of bucco-cervical undercut
and also the mesial and distal proximal
undercuts.

Fig. Arrowhead clasp

Advantages:-
 Good retention on partially erupted tooth
 Eruption of tooth is not hampered
Disadvantages:-
 Occupies large amount of buccal surface
 Requires special plier and adequate skill
for construction.

Continuous Arrowhead clasp

This clasp carries 4-6 arrow clasps. It is one
continuous wire with ends in acrylic mass.
Fig. Jackson’s clasp

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Review Article Orthodontics

Advantages:-
 This clasp is strong, simple and easily
constructed.
 It can be used on any tooth (deciduous or
permanent, partially or fully erupted,
incisors or premolars or molars).
 It is comfortable to wear and resistant to
Fig. Continuous arrowhead clasp breakage.
 It is small and occupies minimum space.
4. Adam’s clasp  It can be modified in a number of ways.
It is also known as Universal clasp or Modified  No specialized instrument is needed for
arrowhead clasp or Liverpool clasp. This clasp construction of clasp. Routinely used
was devised by C P Adam in 1948. This clasp Young’s Universal plier or Adam’s plier
makes use of mesial and distal undercuts. This can be used.
is the most effective and most widely used
orthodontic clasp today. This clasp is Parts of Adam’s clasp
constructed using 0.7 mm hard round stainless  Two arrowheads
steel wire.  Bridge
 Two retentive arms

Bridge- It should be straight and midway

between the occlusal surface and gingival
margin. It should be 2mm away from the tooth
surface and parallel to it. When viewed from
the side, the bridge should be at 45° angle to
tooth surface.

Arrowheads- should be parallel to each other

and should sit in the mesial and distal
undercuts.

Retentive arms- continue on the lingual or

palatal surface that get embedded into the
acrylic.

Modifications of Adam’s clasp

4.1 Adam’s clasp with single arrowhead
4.2 Adam’s clasp with J hook
4.3 Adam’s clasp with incorporated helix
4.4 Adam’s clasp with additional arrowhead
4.5 Adam’s clasp with soldered buccal tube
4.6 Adam’s clasp with distal extension
4.7 Adam’s clasp on incisors and premolars
Fig. Adam’s clasp 4.8 Smart clasp:- A modified Adam’s clasp

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Review Article Orthodontics

4.1 Adam’s clasp with single arrowhead

This clasp consists of only single arrowhead
instead of two arrowheads. This clasp
combines characteristics of Adam’s clasp and
‘C’ clasp. It is indicated in partially erupted
tooth where the single arrowhead engages the
mesial undercut and the bridge is modified to
encircle the tooth distally. The partially
erupted tooth is usually the last erupted molar.

Fig.Adam’s clasp with incorporated helix

4.4 Adam’s clasp with additional arrowhead

An additional arrowhead is soldered onto the
bridge of the Adam’s clasp. This clasp is used
when additional retention is required. The
additional arrowhead fits to the undercut of
adjacent tooth.
Fig. Adam’s clasp with additional arrowhead

Fig. Adam’s clasp with single arrowhead

4.2 Adam’s clasp with J hook

A ‘J’ shaped hook is soldered to the bridge of
the Adam’s clasp directed gingivally with the
hook pointed distally. This hook is used to
engage elastics.

4.5 Adam’s clasp with soldered buccal tube

Attachment of buccal tube to Adam’s clasp
was described by J C Stephenson. A buccal
tube is soldered onto the bridge of the Adam’s
clasp. This modification is used when an
extraoral anchorage is needed using headgear
or other assembly.

Fig. Adam’s clasp with J hook

4.3 Adam’s clasp with incorporated helix

A helix is incorporated into the bridge of the
Adam’s clasp. This is also useful in engaging
elastics. This modification is preferred on Fig. Adam’s clasp with soldered buccal tube
mandibular molars.

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Review Article Orthodontics

4.6 Adam’s clasp with distal extension 5. Delta clasp

A small extension is incorporated distally in This clasp was designed by William J. Clark.
the distal arrowhead. This distal extension This clasp is similar to Adam’s clasp in
helps to engage elastics. principle. It engages interdental undercuts.
Adjustment: -hold retentive loop and twist
inwards.
-bending towards interdental undercut as it
emerges from acrylic.

Fig. Adam’s clasp with distal extension

Fig. Delta clasp
4.7 Adam’s clasp on incisors and premolars
This clasp is fabricated on incisors and
6. Southend clasp
premolars when retention is required in those This clasp was named as southend clasp
areas. This clasp can be constructed in such a because it was developed by Mr. DiBiase and
way that it can span a single tooth or two teeth. Mr. Leavis of department of orthodontics,
Southend hospital and was used at Bristol
Hospital. It provides retention in the anterior
region. The wire is adapted along the cervical
margin of both the central incisors. The distal
end of the wire crosses over the occlusal
embrasures and end as retentive arms on the
palatal side.

Fig. Adam’s clasp on incisors

4.8 Smart Clasp: - A modified Adam’s clasp
This clasp was developed for use with
magnetic activator device. The upper and
lower plates, with incorporated magnets, of the
appliance exert attracting or repelling force of
about 600 gm. [3] A 2 mm loop on each side of
arrowhead is given in the Adam’s clasp.
Fig. Southend clasp

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Review Article Orthodontics

Advantages:- 9. Double Ball end Clasp

 Better patient compliance This clasp includes a stem embedded into and
 Suitable for rotated and spaced incisors. extending from the acrylic portion of the
appliance. Two ball clasps extend from the
7. Triangular Clasp stem and are laterally spaced apart from one
It has a small triangular shape that engages the another. Each ball clasp has an elongated
proximal undercut of two adjacent teeth. It flexible member and an enlarged exposed end.
provides excellent retention. It doesn’t cause A bridge segment extends laterally between
irritation of gingiva. It is used when additional the flexible members of the first and second
retention is required. ball clasps. [6] This clasp does not exert any
wedging force in the interdental embrasure like
the single ball clasp. This clasp provides better
retention.

Fig. Triangular clasp

8. Ball End Clasp
This clasp is also known as Scheau anchor
clasp. This clasp has a ball at the end which
engages the proximal undercut between two
adjacent teeth (interdental area). Preformed
wires having a ball at the end are used for
making this clasp. The ball can also be made
using silver solder. This clasp is used
whenever additional retention is required.

Fig. Double boule end clasp

Fig. Ball end clasp

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 Review Article Orthodontics

10. Schwarz Clasp and posterior contact point of the tooth

It is said to be predecessor of Adam’s clasp. clasped. Each wire then goes above the
This clasp has a number of arrowheads that greatest circumference of the tooth to the
engage the inter-proximal undercuts of middle of the tooth and again back below using
posterior teeth. undercuts. This clasp is used to engage the
buccal undercuts of molars.If the situation
demands, only half of the clasp can also be
made. [5]

Fig. Schwarz clasp

This clasp is not routinely used because:- Fig. Duyzing’s clasp [12]
 It needs special arrowhead forming pliers.
13. Eyelet Clasp
 It occupies a large amount of space in the This clasp can be constructed as a single eyelet
buccal vestibule. or continuous eyelet clasp. [5] An eyelet is made
 The arrowheads can injure the interdental using a Young loop forming plier. Eyelets are
soft tissues. placed in the embrasure. Three to four eyelets
 It is difficult and time consuming to can be made depending upon the retention
fabricate. requirement. The size of the eyelet depends on
the width of the interdental area of both anchor
11. Crozat Clasp teeth. [9]
This clasp was suggested by Crozat in 1920. It
is modification of Jackson’s clasp. An
additional piece of wire is soldered to the
Jackson’s clasp which engages into the mesial
and distal proximal undercuts. Thus, it
provides better retention than the Full clasp. [9]

Fig. Crozat clasp

12. Duyzing Clasp

This clasp has two wires emerging from the
plate that cross the occlusion over the anterior
Fig. Eyelet clasp

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Review Article Orthodontics

14. Plint clasp 15. Visick Clasp

Plint clasp is also known as ‘Fly Over Clasp’. This clasp was given by H C Visick. This clasp
[11]
Plint clasp are useful when using a is used on palatal side for active retention
removable appliance in combination with a accompanying the base plate and molar clasp
fixed appliance. These clasps are constructed on buccal side. It is made using 0.7 mm
using 0.7 mm stainless steel wire. [4]This clasp stainless steel wire. [3] Retention is increased
is used to engage under the tube assembly on a with this clasp because both the buccal and
molar band. [10] Adjustment: - by moving the palatal surfaces are engaged. [3]
clasp under the molar tube.

Fig. A. Visick clasp in place along with

Jackson’s clasp;

Fig. B. Close up view of Visick clasp. [12]

References:
1. Bhalaji S I; Orthodontics- The art and science,
4thedition, Arya (Medi) publishing house, New
Delhi; 2009, page 298-304.
2. Adams, C P; The design, construction and use of
removable orthodontic appliances, 6thedition,
Varghese publishing house, Bombay; 1990, page
11.
3. Lohakare S S; Orthodontic Removable
Appliances, 1st edition, Jaypee Brothers Medical
Publishers (P) Ltd, New Delhi; 2008, page 55-62.
4. Martyn T C, Andrew T DiBiase; Handbook of
Orthodontics, 1st edition, Mosby Elsevier, 2010,
Fig. Plint clasp page -213.

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 Review Article Orthodontics

5. Rani M S, Removable Orthodontic Appliances http://www.o-atlas.de/eng/kapitel1_45.php;

design, construction, application and http://www.o-atlas.de/eng/kapitel6_191.php;
management; 1st edition, 1997, All India http://www.o-atlas.de/eng/kapitel1_47.php;
Publishers and Distributers, Chennai, 1997, page
10. http://fx.damasgate.com/removable-appliances/
40-41.
11. http://universal-dental-
6. Donal P Inman, Clasp for Removable Dental
techniques.com/Web_page/Fly_Over_Clasp.html
Appliances, pub no. – US 2008/0057457/A1; pub
date – March 6, 2008. 12. Shridhar Premkumar; Orthodontics: Prep
manual for undergraduates, Orthodontic
7. http://ebookbrowse.com/principles-of-removable-
appliances, Removable appliances, page 303-304;
appliances-bw-pdf-d321047256
2008 Elsevier.
8. http://www.e-moh.com/vb/t115325/
9. http://www.o-atlas.de/eng/kapitel1_41.php;
http://www.o-atlas.de/eng/kapitel1_44.php;

Correspondence Address: Dr Mustapha Mansuri, E-mail: mustapha.mansuri@bpkihs.edu;

mansurimustapha@gmail.com Phone: +977- 9803504255; 9841502419.

Journal of Nobel Medical College Vol. 3, No.1 Issue 5 96

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