Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the different kinds of residual ridges in the lower free ends in the saggital plane. Methods: Sixty four patients of different ages and both genders were examined in clinics run by the Dentistry course at University of Brasilia with uni- or bilateral free ends when the abutment teeth were mandible cuspids or 2nd bicuspids, whether or not the patients were mandible removable partial dentures (RPD). Plaster casts were obtained, on which acrylic resin denture bases were fabricated and artificial teeth mounted. The occlusal plane was used as reference in the casts, standardised by tracing an imaginary line through the incisal angle of the cuspid to the 2nd third of the retromolar pad. Base points were created by setting 3mm ball-bearings at the 2nd third of the retromolar pad, fixed in the internal part of the resin base. The central cavity of the 1st artificial molar was used as the base reference point for measuring the angle, another ball-bearing being set under this area. For each hemi-arch 2 radiographic shots were taken by parallelism technique, form tracings using individual occlusal plane as reference, the angles formed by resorption in the lower first molar area were determined. The opposing maxillary arch was examined (natural teeth or prothesis). Data were submitted to ANOVA analysis and the difference among groups were verified by Tukey test (p<0,05). Results: The majority of the inclination of the ridges was descending to distal (93,7%), with average inclination of 17.95°. The wider angle among patients using mandible RPDs was higher (19,3°) than among non-users of mandible dentures (16.47°) (p < 0,05).No significant data were found to correlate age and sex to residual ridge resorption.Conclusions:The ridge inclination among users of mandible RPDs was affected by the type of opposing maxillary arch.

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