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An Introduction To Fixed Prosthodontics

This document provides an introduction to fixed prosthodontics, including crowns and bridges. It defines prosthodontics as the dental specialty concerned with replacing missing oral structures. Fixed prosthodontics deals specifically with permanently cementing crowns and bridges. The document describes the components and purposes of crowns and bridges. It outlines the steps for constructing cast metal and metal-ceramic crowns, including diagnosis, tooth preparation, impressions, model construction, waxing, casting, finishing, and cementation. Key goals of tooth preparation are eliminating undercuts, providing space for restorations, and maintaining esthetics and function.

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99 views6 pages

An Introduction To Fixed Prosthodontics

This document provides an introduction to fixed prosthodontics, including crowns and bridges. It defines prosthodontics as the dental specialty concerned with replacing missing oral structures. Fixed prosthodontics deals specifically with permanently cementing crowns and bridges. The document describes the components and purposes of crowns and bridges. It outlines the steps for constructing cast metal and metal-ceramic crowns, including diagnosis, tooth preparation, impressions, model construction, waxing, casting, finishing, and cementation. Key goals of tooth preparation are eliminating undercuts, providing space for restorations, and maintaining esthetics and function.

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© © All Rights Reserved
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An Introduction to Fixed Prosthodontics


Prosthodontics: It is the dental specialty concerned with the making of artificial
replacements for missing parts of the mouth and jaw. It is also named "Prosthetic
Dentistry" or "Prosthodontia".
Fixed Prosthodontics (Crown and Bridge Prosthodontics); It is a branch of
dental science that deals with restoration of damaged teeth with artificial crown and
replacing the missing natural teeth by a dental prosthesis permanently cemented in
place [Fixed partial denture].
Fixed Prosthodontics includes:
Inlays
Onlays
Veneers
Crowns
Fixed partial dentures
Crown: It is a fixed extra-coronal artificial restoration of the coronal portion of a
natural tooth. It must restore the morphology, contour and function of the tooth and
should protect the remaining tooth structure from further damage.
Types of crowns (Classification of crowns):
I. According to coverage area
1. Complete crown : It is the crown that covers all the coronal portion of the tooth
such as full metal crown, porcelain fused to metal crown and All Ceramic crown.
2. Partial crown : It is a crown that covers part of the coronal portion of the tooth
such as 3/4 crown, 7/8Crown.
3. Complete replacement: It replaces the natural crown entirely. This type of crown
retains itself by means of a dowel (post) extended inside the root canal space of the
tooth such as a post crown.

1
Three-quarter crown which is a partial crown covering all tooth surfaces except
the buccal surface.

Post crown which replaces the natural crown entirely and retains itself by means
of a dowel (post) extended inside the root canal space.

II. According to the materials used in the fabrication of the crown


1. Metal crown: made from gold alloy and its alternatives such as full metal crown
and 3/4 crown.
2. Non- metal crown: made from acrylic resin, zirconium or porcelain as in jacket
crown.
3. A combination of metal and plastic materials such as porcelain fused to metal
crown.

2
Bridge: It is a fixed dental prosthesis which replaces and restores the function
and esthetic of one or more missing natural teeth and can't be removed from the
mouth by the patient. It is primarily supported by natural teeth or root. The tooth
that gives support to the bridge is called "abutment tooth".
Components of bridge:
1. Retainer: It's the part that seats over (on or in) the abutment tooth. It could be
major or minor (will be explained later).
2. Pontic: It is the suspended member of fixed partial denture that replaces the
missing tooth or teeth. It usually occupies the position of the missing natural tooth.
3. Connector: It is that part of fixed partial denture that joins the individual
components of the bridge together (the retainer and the pontic). It could be fixed
(rigid) or movable (flexible) connector. When the retainer is attached to a fixed
connector, it is called "major retainer", but when it is attached to a flexible
(movable) connector it is called "minor retainer".

Components of bridge.

3
Purposes of crown construction:
1.To restore the grossly damaged tooth, fractured tooth or a tooth with a heavy
filling (amalgam or composite).
2.To restore the masticatory function and speech.
3.To restore the esthetic (hypoplastic condition whether heredity defect or acquired
defect).
4.To maintain the periodontal health by recontouring the occlusion and prevents
food impaction.
5. To alter the occlusion (occlusal relationship) as a part of occlusal reconstruction
to solve occlusal problems or to improve function.
6. As a retainer for the bridge.
Steps in the construction of cast restorations
1. Diagnosis.
2. Tooth preparation.
3. Final impression.
4. Temporary restoration (Provisional restoration).
5. Construction of working model.
6. Waxing.
7. Investing.
8. Burn-out (Wax elimination).
9. Casting.
10. Cleaning and finishing.
11. Try-in and cementation.
Note: Steps (1-4, and 11) are clinical steps, while steps (5-10) are laboratory steps
carried out in the lab by the laboratory technician.
Note: The steps mentioned above concern the fabrication of cast restorations which
are restorations made entirely from metal or a combination of metal and plastic
material. All ceramic restorations are fabricated using other laboratory procedures
such as CAD/CAM (Computer Aided Design / Computer Aided Manufacturing).

4
Diagnosis
The first step should be the diagnosis of the case whether it is indicated for
crown and bridge work or not. This is decided after a thorough examination of the
tooth and surrounding structures, which includes:
(a) Periodontal Examination: The patient should have proper oral hygiene to
ensure that no plaque accumulation would occur on the crown margins which
might lead, if left, to caries.
(b) Dental examination: which includes:
-Visual examination: we should examine the occlusion of the patient, the presence
of crowding, spacing, rotation of teeth, tilting (drifting) and supra-eruption of the
abutment tooth (or teeth). Meanwhile, the condition of the remaining tooth
structure, the presence of caries and the quality of existing old fillings in the
abutment tooth (or teeth) all should be checked.
-Radiographic examination: The radiograph reveals the shape and number of the
roots, the condition of the surrounding structures, and the bone support of the tooth
(crown/root ratio). The ideal crown/root ratio of a tooth to be used as an abutment
for fixed partial denture is 1:2.
The radiograph also reveals the presence of a lesion in the bone, root canal
treatment, fracture in the tooth or root, bone loss, unerupted teeth, etc…These
information will affect the prognosis of the treatment.

Tooth Preparation
It is the cutting or instrumentation procedure that is carried out on the tooth
during crown construction procedure.
The prepared tooth is the final form or shape of the tooth after the cutting
(preparation) procedure. Rotary instruments are used to reduce the height and
contour of the tooth. The tooth is prepared so that the crown restoration can slide
into place and be able to withstand the forces of occlusion.

5
Finishing line of the preparation is a line that separates between the prepared
and the unprepared tooth portions. It represents the end margin of our preparation.
It should be smoothly continuous from one surface to the other; otherwise, it will
interfere with seating of the crown if it is poorly done.

Objectives of tooth preparation


The main objectives of tooth preparation in fixed prosthodontics includes:
1-To eliminate undercuts from the axial surfaces of the tooth.
Note: The axial surfaces are the facial (labial or buccal), proximal (mesial and
distal), and palatal (lingual).
2-To provide enough space for the crown restoration to withstand the force of
mastication. This space depends on the material used; metal needs little space
while plastic materials need more space.
3-Not to enlarge the size of the tooth.
4-To provide good esthetic.

Disadvantages of crowns
1. Heat generation during the cutting procedure of the teeth might affect the health
of the pulp; therefore, water coolant must be used during the preparation procedure.
2. Over preparation can cause pulp irritation or even pulp exposure which might
lead to death of the pulp. Excessive tooth preparation can also weaken the tooth
structure.
3. Periodontal problems: food impaction with subsequent gingivitis and periodontal
pocket formation and secondary caries might develop.

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