Purpose: Aim of this study was to determine patients' preference to acrylic resin major connector analogues (MCA) that simulated strengthened major connector designs formulated for Ti-6Al-7Nb alloy.
Materials and methods: Four MCA namely wide design (Wide), design with 2 strengthening ridges (2SR), design with 1 strengthening ridge (1SR), and thick design (Thick) were fabricated using light-polymerizing acrylic resin for 10 patients with Kennedy Class I or II partially edentulous maxillary arches. They were asked to wear each MCA in the mouth for 30 seconds in 6 pairs, and to report their preference for each pair. Using these data the 4 MCA were ranked in a descending preference order for each patient. A within-subject comparison of preferences was performed with the Friedman test and multiple comparisons with Wilcoxon Signed Ranks test.
Results: A statistically significant preference order was revealed: Wide, 1SR, 2SR, and Thick (P < 0.008). The wide design (P < 0.004) and the 1SR (P < 0.01) were significantly preferred to the thick design. However, individual data showed that the first preference varied depending upon the subject.
Conclusion: Thinner designs tended to be preferred to the thicker design by the subjects, while none of the designs tested were consistently selected as the best design.