The purpose of this study was to determine the biting forces of individuals wearing classes I, II or III partially removable mandibular dentures. Upper jaws presented fixed bridges, classes I, II or III partially removable dentures, or complete dentures. Measurements of biting forces were obtained by a gnathodynamometer. The conclusions were: classes I and II presented low biting forces, specially far from the last abutment tooth; when the opposite arcade was a complete denture, biting forces were low; males presented higher biting forces than females; natural molars and bicuspids presented higher biting forces with class III than with classes I or II.
Biting force; Denture (partial, removable)
