Soldering of removable partial
James S. Brudvik, D.D.S.,* and Jack I. Nicholls,
University of Washington, School of Dentistry, Seattle, Wash.
l-1 emovable partial dentures are not normally sec-
tioned, related, and soldered when they do not fit, as is
a common practice for fixed partial dentures. Work
authorization requests for framework soldering are
most often related to fractures, additions of clasps, and
retention for resin.
Clinical dental literature gives only a few references
to the soldering of chrome-based alloys for removable
partial dentures. In the most significant of these,
MacEntee et al.’ found that they could create weld
joints at least as strong as the parent metal when
welding Vitallium with a 0.25 mm gap between the
welded parts.
A number of studies on the strength of solder joints
relative to the solder gap have shown that wider gaps
produce stronger joints.2s3
Strength of joint is not the sole factor in the selection
of gap size. Willis and Nicholls4 found that a minimum
gap distance without contact gave the least distortion. A
compromise between these two factors, strength and
distortion, appears indicated.
Dental soldering, brazing, and welding can be
accomplished with a variety of heat sources. The most
common are electrosoldering and torch soldering.
Electrosoldering, as it is called in dentistry, is more
properly named resistance brazing. It is applicable to
joints that have a relatively simple configuration.
Gold solder, 0.800 fine (Tripple Thick, Ticonium
Co., Albany, N.Y.), has been used for many years with
excellent results by the author on nickel-chromium
alloys. The high cost of this solder has encouraged the
search for other solders or brazing alloys that would
give equal results. At present, a variety of brazing
alloys are available. Some of the brazing alloys are
nickel-chrome in the 70-16 range and similar to
Ticonium. Ticonium can be used with the electrosol-
Presented at the Academy of Denture Prosthetics, Boston, Mass.
Supported by Biomedical Research Support Grant No. RR-05346.
*Associate Professor, Department of Prosthodontics.
**Professor, Department of Restorative Dentistry.
762
dentures
Ph.D.**
dering device to weld itself, resulting in a strong
joint.*
The high heat generated in these brazing operations
raises the possibility of embrittlement. These deleteri-
ous effects on the strength of the solder joint can be
minimized by rapid soldering at low soldering temper-
atures.
The purpose of this investigation was to obtain a
ranking of predictable joint strengths obtainable with
materials and techniques common in the dental labora-
tory field that would aid the dentist in the repair or
assembly of removable partial dentures.
MATERIAL AND METHODS
Wax tensile bar specimens were formed by injection
molding (Fig. 1). The specimens were placed in two
groups (40 in each) and invested and cast according to
the instructions of the alloy manufacturer. One group
was cast in Ticonium 100 (Ticonium Co.) (low-heat
group) and the other in Vitallium (Howmedica, Inc.,
Dental Division, Chicago, Ill.) (high-heat group). The
castings were sandblasted and cut from the sprue leads.
Each tensile bar was finished with disks and a coarse
stone to remove any imperfections resulting from the
casting process.
The tensile bars were invested in small blocks of
Complete (J. F. Jelenko Co., Armonk, N.Y.) with a
recess in the center of the bar. The investment blocks
were dried, and then the bars were sectioned with a
thin 0.33 mm disk (Veri-Thin Disc, National Keystone
Products, Philadelphia, Pa.). The resulting cut was
measured optically with a magnified grid (Edmund
Scientific Co., Barrington, N. J.) and the opening found
to be 0.4 mm. This gap was considered to be the
smallest gap obtainable with cutoff disks currently in
laboratory use.
The invested and cut tensile bars were divided into
groups of 10. Each group was subjected to two different
soldering/brazing operations.
*Mercer, R.: Personal communication, 1981.
JUNE 1983 VOLUME 49 NUMBER 6
SOLDERING OF REMOVABLE PARTIAL DENTURES

TICONIUM
VfTALLIUM

Fig. 1. Injection mold and wax tensile bar specimens Fig. 2. Tensile strengths of solder joints. ‘T = Torch;
(developed by Dr. Harold Morris, V.A. Hospital, Allen E = electric; TS = torch solder; 300 = 0.800 solder; and
Park, Mich.). AG-CU = silver-copper solder.

Table I. Tensile strength comparison between alloys

Alloy comparison Ticonium (kg/mm*) Vitallium (kg/mm’) Statistical significance

As cast 120.08 + 8.09 117.32 it 7.63 .Nonc

Oxyacetylene torch and torch 64.35 f 16.17 81.94 + 13.32 Signific~ant at 98%,
solder
Oxyacetylene torch and 0.800 68.53 i 10.38 90.42 5 12.47 Sigmficmt at 99%
solder
Electm and 0.800 solder 98.99 + 11.70 100.22 + 16.57 N o ne
Electm and silver-copper solder 48.39 rf 10.25 55.60 k 16.30 None

Table II. Tensile strength comparison Table III. Tensile strength comparison
(Vitallium) (Ticonium)
Alloy Tensile strength Statistical Alloy Tensile strength Statistical
comparison (knlmm’) significance comparison (kg/nun’) sigificunce

As cast versus 117.32 + 7.63 Significant at 98% As cast versus 120.08 f 8.09 Significant at 99%
electric and 0.800 100.22 rt 16.57 electric and 0.800 98.99 t 11.70
solder solder
Electric and 0.800 100.22 + 16.57 Significant at 98% Electric and 0.800 98.99 + 11.70 Significant at 99%
solder versus 81.94 k 13.32 solder versus 64.35 + 16.17
torch and torch torch and torch
solder solder
Electric and 0.800 100.22 r 16.57 None Electric and 0.800 98.99 + 11.70 Significant at 99.9%
solder versus 90.42 + 12.47 solder versus 68.53 2 10.53
torch and 0.800 torch and 0.800
solder solder
Torch and 0.800 90.42 t 12.47 None Torch and 0.800 68.53 k 10.53 None
solder versus 81.94 r 13.32 solder versus 64.35 + 16.17
torch and torch torch and torch
solder solder
__-_.----. _--_.-__-

First, each alloy was soldered using 0.800 fine Then, the soldering operation was repeated using
Tripple Thick solder (Howmedica, Inc., Dental Divi- Jelenko Torch Solder (J. F. Jelenko Co.) and an
sion) with both electrosoldering (Electrosoldering oxyacetylene torch and also Sure Bond silver solder
Machine, Yates & Bird, Chicago, Ill.) and torch (W. Zorovich, Inc., Dayton, Ohio), using electrosolder-
soldering (Little Torch, Tescom, Minneapolis, Minn.). ing for both alloys. After soldering, the specimens were

THE JOURNAL OF PROSTHETIC DENTISTRY 763


Fig. 3. Lingual plate that has been sectioned and
seated in mouth. Because both sections show an
acceptable fit, soldering is indicated. Soldering lingual
plate is technically more complex than soldering
lingual bar (Fig. 4).
bench cooled and recovered. These materials, equip-
ment, and techniques are representative of current
laboratory approaches to the soldering of removable
partial dentures.
The soldered specimens were turned to a measured
diameter in the area of the solder joint and evaluated
with the Instron Universal Testing Machine (Instron
Corp., Canton, Mass.).
RESULTS
After fracture from loading in the testing machine,
each solder joint was examined under magnification,
and those that were incomplete were replaced with new
specimens. Seventeen of 80 specimens were defective.
The defects appeared to be flux inclusions, probably
caused by using a flux that was too thick.
The results are as shown in Fig. 2 and Tables I to
III. Means and standard deviations were calculated
and a number of comparisons made using the Student’s
t-test for significance. The assumption that the lower
heat alloy would result in stronger solder joints was not
substantiated.
The strongest joints in both alloys were made with
0.800 fine solder using the electrosoldering machine.
These joints were significantly stronger than the other
solder combinations in both alloys; but when the two
alloys were compared, there was no difference between
them. In fact, their tensile strength mean values were
almost exactly the same (Ticonium, 98.99 kg/mm2;
Vitallium, 100.22 kg/mm2).
When compared to the as-cast specimens, electric
soldering with 0.800 fine solder gave values that were
85% as strong as those of the cast alloy.
Other combinations of solders and heat sources gave
764
BRUDVIK AND NICHOLLS
Fig. 4. Framework that will allow sectioning and
soldering of any element if needed. This framework
has been joined with torch solder and an oxyacetylene
torch and is ready for finishing.
greater reductions in tensile strength, with the silver-
copper solder less than half as strong as the as-cast
alloys.
The heat source was significant with the low-heat
alloy (Ticonium) but not with the high-heat (Vital-
lium).
DISCUSSION
While tensile strength testing gives someindication
of the clinical performance of solderjoints in removable
partial denture frameworks, there are other considera-
tions. Partial denturesare subjectedto stress-relaxation
forces, and the toughness of the joint may be as
important as its ultimate tensile strength.
Distortion from the various soldering procedures
was not evaluated in this study but is obviously of great
concern. It is of no value to create a strong joint if it is
distorted beyond the level of clinical acceptance.
Clinical experience and data from industrial sources
indicate that the lowest possibleheat and the shortest
possibletime will result in the least distortion. Electro-
soldering with 0.800 fine solder would seemto fulfill
this requirement.
Tarnish of the solderjoint when exposed is also of
concern. Again, clinical experience has shown that the
0.800 fine solder and the torch solder will not show
significant change. The silver-copper solder has a
yellow color and can be expected to show change after
exposure to the oral fluids. In addition, this solder
proved to be the weakest of those tested. It appearsto
be limited to attaching wire claspsto the framework
when the region of attachment is totally within the
acrylic resin denture base.
Becausethere was no significant difference between
JUNE 1983 VOLUME 49 NUMBER 6
SOLDERING OF REMOVABLE PARTIAL DENTURES
alloys as cast or when joined with 0.800 fine and
electric soldering, both Vitallium and Ticonium can be
sectioned and soldered with confidence. Clinical expe-
rience indicates that a tensile strength 85% of the
as-cast strength is sufficient.
The use of the oxyacetylene torch introduces a
greater range of strengths. The skill of the investigator
in the use of this heat source is a factor to be considered.
The selection of the tip size and the mixture of the two
gases is absolutely critical. The joint strengths reported
by MacEntee et al.’ exceeded the torch welds in this
study possibly due to these technical considerations.
When the use of torch soldering was discussed with
commercial laboratory technicians, a variety of tech-
niques and materials were identified. Many techni-
cians spoke of the operation as “welding,” and, indeed,
a number used alloys called welding rods by their
manufacturers. Those laboratories using electrosolder-
ing unanimously preferred 0.800 fine solder with a
number of manufacturers supplying this solder.
The results obtained in this study should be consid-
ered the “floor” of the possible range of tensile
strengths. The very thin, absolute butt joint used in the
test samples is theoretically the weakest possible joint
design. The skill of the authors in soldering obviously
affected the quality of the joint. One can expect that an
experienced senior dental technician will create more
uniform joints of greater strength.
Electrosoldering of both high- and low-heat remov-
able partial denture alloys can give comparable results
as this study indicates. The selection of the solder to be
used will depend on both the cost and the required
strength. Electrosoldering is both easier to learn and
less destructive to adjacent denture resin. It appears to
be the heat source of choice.
CLINICAL APPLICATION
If the clinician has confidence in the soldering
operation, then discrepancies in the fit of a framework
can often be corrected. Major connectors can be sec-
tioned; and if the sections then fit satisfactorily, they
can be reassembled (Fig. 3). Lingual bars will obvious-
ly be easier to solder than palatal plates. Many times
there will be one rest or clasp assembly that does not
THE JOURNAL OF PROSTHETIC DENTISTRY
fully seat while the remainder of the framework is
satisfactory. The offending component is sectioned in
the minor connector and related properly in the mouth.
Matrices of plaster or acrylic resin can be used to
establish the desired relationship for the laboratory. In
these repair situations the design of the major and
minor connectors has a definite influence on the ease of
the soldering operation. When the linguai bar major
connector design is used, sectioning and soldering is
easier and therefore more dependable than with a
lingual plate major connector (Fig. 4). The easier
access to the minor connector makes the soldering quite
simple with either torch or electrosoldering. In addi-
tion, soldering in a variety of repair situations can be
recommended with confidence.
SUMMARY
Both high- and low-heat removable partial denture
alloys were soldered with combinations of different
solders and heat sources. The soldered specimens were
subjected to tensile strength testing, and a ranking of
joint strength was developed. Joint strengths that were
85% as strong as the as-cast metal were created in both
alloy types when 0.800 fine solder was used with an
electrosoldering device as a heat source. All other
combinations tested resulted in greater reductions in
joint strength.
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hlacEntee, M. I., Hawbolt, E. B., and %ahel. J I. l‘hr tensile
and shear swength or a base metal weld joint usrd in dentisq
J Dent Res 60:154, 1981.
Stade. E. Ii., Rcisbick. M. I-i., and Preston, ,j il.: Prttcwtmir
and postceramic solder ioints. J PRO’rTlll~ !’ I)t~‘r 34:527,
197;.
Rasmussen, E. J., Goodkind, R. J., and Herhrwh. \V. W.: An
investigatmn of tensile strength 01’ drnul wldcr joints. J
PROTHEY DENT 41:418, 1970
Willis, E. J., and Nicholls, J. 1.: Dtstortion in dental soldering
‘ts alfrctcd 11): hap distance. J PROSTH~ r 1)~ x.1‘ 4W72. IVRO.
765