Computerized design of removable partial dentures: a knowledge-based system for the future.

Dentists frequently fail to provide dental technicians with the design information necessary for the construction of removable partial dentures. The computerization of dental practices and the development of appropriate knowledge-based systems could provide a powerful tool for improving this aspect of dental care. This article describes one such system currently under development which is an example of the kind of additional facility that will become available for those practices with the necessary hardware.