What Are The Common Types Of Snap Rings

There are various types of snap rings, depending on different classification standards and application fields. The following are some common types of snap rings:
Three arm clasp: commonly used for teeth with good crown shape and no obvious inclination of the abutment. It is composed of two clasp arms, cheek and tongue, and (occlusal) braces, which wrap around three or four axial angles of the abutment teeth, and have good retention, support, and stability effects.
Ring shaped snap ring: commonly used on isolated molars, especially when the upper molars tilt towards the mesial buccal side and the lower molars tilt towards the mesial lingual side. Its snap ring arm tip is located in a specific position, which can effectively increase support and prevent further tilting and displacement of the abutment teeth.
Casting snap ring: made by wax molding, embedding, and using high melting alloy through casting process. Including circular clasps and rod-shaped clasps, the former resembles a circle and wraps around the abutment by more than 3/4, while the latter has independent buccal and lingual arms, suitable for abutment teeth with missing posterior teeth.
Shaft snap ring: used for fixing or connecting on a shaft, including sleeve type snap ring, shaft clamp type snap ring, and pear shaped snap ring, each with specific installation and usage methods.
Hole type snap ring: used for fixing or connecting holes, including internal digging snap rings, external digging snap rings, and multi limb snap rings, which can be fixed in different holes as needed.
In addition, according to the contact method between the snap ring and the teeth, it can also be divided into Type I snap ring, Type II snap ring, Type III snap ring, and Type IV snap ring; According to the retaining effect of the snap ring, it can be divided into retaining snap ring and stabilizing snap ring; According to the production method of snap rings, they can be divided into cast snap rings and welded snap rings; According to the material of the snap ring, it can be divided into stainless steel snap ring, titanium alloy snap ring, and gold alloy snap ring, etc.
Please note that the above are only some common types of snap rings, and there may be more specific types of snap rings in practical applications. The specific selection should be determined based on the usage environment and needs.