Pontics are the artificial teeth of a partial fixed dental prosthesis (FDP) that replace missing natural teeth, restoring function and appearance.They must enable continued oral health and comfort.
11. • Smooth, regular surface of
attached gingiva
• Its height and width should
allow placement of a pontic.
• Free of frenum attachment
and be of adequate facial
heightIdeal ridge
contour
12. The incidence of residual ridge deformity after anterior
tooth loss is high (91%).
Anusavice KJ: Phillips’ science of dental materials, 10th ed. Philadelphia, WB Saunders, 1996.
28. According to Rosenstiel et al Pontic designs are classified
into two general groups:
• Those that contact the oral mucosa and those that do
not. A. Mucosal contact B. No mucosal contact
1. Ridge lap 1.Sanitary (hygienic)
2. Modified ridge lap 2. Modified sanitary
(hygienic)
3. Ovate
4. Conical
5. Modified ovate pontic
44. BIOLOGICAL
Cleasable tissue surfaces
Access to abutment teeth
No pressure on ridge
MECHANICAL
Rigid; to resist
deformation
Strong connection; to
prevent fracture
Metal-ceramic
framework; to resist
porcelain fracture
ESTHETIC
Shaped to look like
tooth it replaces
Appears to “grow”
out of edentulous
ridge
Sufficient space for
porcelain
75. A, pontic should have the same incisogingival height (H) as the original tooth. B, Correctly contoured
pontic. C, Incorrectly contoured pontic. The shelf at the gingival margin may trap food and create an
esthetically unacceptable shadow.
76.
77.
78.
79.
80.
81.
82.
83.
84.
85.
86.
87.
88.
89.
90.
91. Wax the internal, proximal, and axial surfaces of
the retainers
Soften the inlay wax, mold it to the approximate
desired pontic shape, and adapt it to the ridge.
If a posterior tooth is being replaced, leave the
occlusal surface flat because the occlusion is best
developed with the wax addition technique
Lute the pontic to the retainer and, for additional stability,
connect its cervical aspect directly to the master cast with sticky
wax.
Wax the pontic to proper axial and occlusal (or
incisal) contour
overly small pontics are unacceptable because they trap food and are difficult to clean.
which facilitates maintenance of a plaque-free environment.
that appears to emerge from the ridge and mimics the appearance of the neighboring teeth
Facially, it must be free of frenum attachment and be of adequate facial height to sustain the appearance of interdental papillae.
Alveolar architecture preservation technique
Arc-fixed partial denture, modified sanitary,
Or Perel pontic
It is also less susceptible to tissue proliferation that can occur when a pontic is too close to the residual ridge.
The modified ridge lap design is the most common pontic form used in areas of the mouth that are visible during function (maxillary and mandibular anterior teeth and maxillary premolars and first molars).
thin mandibular ridge.
ranging from controlled regeneration directly after the extraction of the tooth (immediate pontic technique) to plastic surgery (gingival grafting), which is accompanied by tissue conditioning in the course of the subsequent prosthodontic treatment.
Optimal pontic design
This was once promoted as a way to improve the appearance of the pontic ridge relationship.
If the pontic has a depression or concavity in its gingival surface, plaque will accumulate, because the floss cannot clean this area, and tissue irritation will follow. This is usually reversible; when the surface is subsequently modified to eliminate the concavity, inflammation disappears. Therefore, an accurate description of pontic design should be known to the laboratory, and the prosthesis should be checked and corrected if necessary before cementation. Prevention is the best solution for controlling tissue irritation
Although glazed porcelain looks very smooth, when viewed under a microscope, its surface shows many voids and is rougher than either polished gold or acrylic resin. Nevertheless, highly glazed porcelain is easier to clean than other materials. For easier plaque removal and biocompatibility, the tissue surface of the pontic should be made in glazed porcelain. However, ceramic tissue contact may be contra indicated in edentulous areas where there is minimal distance between the residual ridge and the occlusal table.
These factors can lead to fracture of the prosthesis or displacement of the retainers. Long span posterior FPDs are particularly susceptible to mechanical problems.
In fact, narrowing the occlusal table may actually impede or even preclude development of a harmonious and stable occlusal relationship. Like a malposed tooth, it may cause difficulties in plaque control and may not provide proper cheek support. For these reasons, pontics with normal occlusal widths (at least on the occlusal third) are generally recommended. One exception is if the residual alveolar ridge has collapsed buccolingually. Reducing pontic width may then be desired, thereby lessening the lingual contour and facilitating plaque control measures.
The metal surfaces to be veneered must be smooth and free of pits. Surface irregularities will cause incomplete wetting by the porcelain slurry, leading to voids at the porcelain metal interface that reduce bond strength and increase the possibility of mechanical failure
Sharp angles on the veneering area should be rounded. They produce increased stress concentrations that can cause mechanical failure.
, although long term clinical performance is not yet known.
However, such pontics then have considerably increased tissue contact and require scrupulous plaque control for long term success.
For this purpose, an impression is taken of the labial surface of the restoration using a customized tray and a medium viscosity polyether material. The color of the gingiva is determined with an individually fabricated shade guide
Frequently,
as precisely as possible in the pontic, and the space discrepancy can be compensated by altering the shape of the proximal areas.
A discrepancy here can be managed by duplicating the visible mesial half of the tooth and adjusting the size of the distal half.
These can be altered by the dentist and reglazed if necessary. These include
Over time, several techniques for pontic fabrication evolved. Prefabricated porcelain facings were very popular for use with conventional gold alloys. As use of the metal ceramic technique increased during the 1970s, prefabricated facings lost their popularity and essentially disappeared. Although an acceptable substitute, custom made metal ceramic facings never gained widespread acceptance.
there is a distinct 90-degree porcelain metal junction.
Metal substructure ready for airborne particle
abrasion and oxidation.
because once it is cemented, the restoration will be seen from the facial rather than from the gingival. Excessive gingival porcelain is a common fault in pontic frame work design and may lead to fracture and poor appearance.
Mark the desired tissue contact and contour the gingival surface to provide as convex a surface as possible. The pontic is now ready for clinical evaluation and soldering procedures, characterization, glazing, finishing and polishing
in a 200-m-wide zone immediately subjacent to the epithelium (zone A) and in a 200-m-wide central connective tissue portion (zone B).