Objective     To design an attachment-retained unilateral distal-extension removable partial denture with a stress-breaking structure and to analyze the stress conduction mode of it under the functional load.  Methods      An attachment-retained removable partial denture with a stress breaking structure was designed on the simulated distal-extension absence with a plaster model from a volunteer’s mandibular teeth with individual normal occlusion. After the 3D images of the volunteer’s mandible were obtained by cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) scanning

and the stereo images of the fabricated stress-breaking denture were attained by 3D laser scanning. The data were transmitted into a computer to reconstruct digital 3D models for finite element analysis. Stress conduction of the denture under the functional load was analyzed in simulating human occlusion.  Results     An attachment-retained unilateral distal-extension removable partial denture with a stress-breaking structure was designed and fabricated. A digital 3D element model of it was also successfully constructed. Under the functional vertical load and lateral load

the stress borne by the denture base was transmitted to the abutments through the mesial connector

which axially loaded on the abutment teeth

and the distribution of the stress on the abutment teeth was much uniform. Conclusion      Our designed direct transmission of the stress from the denture base is interrupted by the stressbreaking structure of the attachment-retained denture.