This document summarizes the steps for a complete cast crown preparation, including: 1. Placement of guiding grooves and occlusal reduction to a depth of 1.5mm on functional cusps and 1mm on non-functional cusps. 2. Placement of alignment grooves on the axial walls to determine the path of insertion and margin location. 3. Axial wall reduction between the alignment grooves and addition of a 0.5mm chamfer margin. 4. Finishing of the preparation, including rounding line angles and smoothing of the margin, to aid in fabrication of the restoration.

1. THE COMPLETE CAST CROWN PREPARATION
*summarized from Contemporary Fixed Prosthodontics
- refer page 271 (summary)
indications
contraindication
1. extensive destruction
from caries/trauma
1. less than maximum
retention necessary
2. endodontically treated
teeth
2. high esthetics need
(anterior teeth)
3. existing restoration
4. necessity for max
retention & strength
5. to provide contours to
receive a removable
appliance
6. other recontouring of
axial surfaces (minor
corrections of
malinclinations)
advantages
1. strong
2. high retention &
resistance form
3. usually easy to obtain
3. intact buccal/lingual wall adequate resistance form
exists
4. option to modify form &
occlusion
4. if treatment objectives
- especially for supraerupted
can be met with more
teeth
conservative restoration
5. less easily to deform
6. its cylinder-like
configuration encircles
tooth and is reinforced by a
corrugated occlusal surface
disadvantages
1. removal of large amount
of tooth struc
2. adverse effects on pulp &
periodontium
3. vitality test cannot be
done
4. display of metal
5. restorations may be
restricted to max
molars/mand
molars/premolars
6. patients object to display
metal
7. correction of occlusal
plane
PREPARATIONS :
1) Guiding grooves for occlusal reduction
1. use tapered carbide/narrow,tapered diamond
2. place depth holes 1mm deep in central, distal, mesial fossae
3. connect the holes
4. place guiding grooves in ;
- buccal & lingual developmental grooves
- each triangular ridge
5. place func cusp bevel in the area of contact with opposing tooth
- to protect it by adequate thickness of metal
- depth slightly less than 1.5mm (allow for smoothing)
6. ensure that occlusal reduction follows anatomic configuration
- to minimize loss of tooth struc
7. must be placed with accuracy
- should concentrate on position, depth, angulation of each groove
8. position :
- in low point (central & dev grooves) & high point (cusp tips & triangular ridges) of each cusp
9. depth :
- central groove & non-func cusp : 0.8mm
- func-cusp : 1.3mm
10. corect angulation of grooves is important
- to ensure that occlusal reduction is situated beneath occlusal surface of restoration
11. on non-func cusp, groove should // the intended cuspal inclination
12. on func cusp, groove should be angled slightly flatter
- to ensure additional reduction of func cup
13. use periodontal probe to measure extent of reduction
2) occlusal reduction
1. remove the tooth structure that remains between grooves
2. use carbide/narrow, round-end, tapered diamond

2. 3. first, reduce half of occlusal surface
- the other half can be maintained as reference
4. then reduce the other half
5. func cusps : 1.5mm
non-func cusps : 1mm
6. how to verify the reduction/clearance ;
- patient should close into several layers dark-colored utility wax in max intercuspation
- remove the wax from mouth & evaluate it for thin spots
- then measured with wax caliper
- place the wax again in patient's mouth and ask patient to move his mandible into potrusion &
excursive positions
- remove again from mouth
- measure the thickness of the utility wax
- alternative way : use occlusal reduction gauge
7. refer page 263 (fig 8-10)
3) alignment grooves for axial reduction
1. place 3 alignment grooves in each buccal & lingual wall
- use narrow/ round end, tapered diamond
- 1 is placed at center, 1 in mesial & distal transitional line angle
2. these grooves determine the p.o.p of restoration
3. shank of the diamond must // to p.o.p of restoration
- this will produce a convergence between axial walls of alignment grooves that is identical to the
taper of the diamond (6' taper)
4. dont let the diamond cut into the tooth beyond the point where its tip is buried in tooth struc up to
midpoint
- to prevent creation of enamel lip
5. gingivally, there will be the resulting depth from the grooves alignment
- should be no more than 1 ½ the width of tip of diamond
6. occlusocervically, placement of the tip of intrument determines the location of the margin
7. use periodontal probe to asses the parallelism of alignment grooves with one another or with
proposed p.o.p of a 2ndry retainer
4) axial reduction
1. remove remaining tooth structure between alignment grooves
2. place chamfer margin
3. use narrow/ round tipped diamond
4. reduce half of the axial surface first
- the other half as a reference
5. then reduce the other half
6. pay special attention to interproximal areas
- to prevent unintentional damage to adjacent teeth
- give time for cutting instrument to create its own space
- enamel lip is maintained between the diamond & adjacent tooth
- place metal matrix band to protect the adjacent teeth
- most difficult areas to reduce : those with significant buccolingual dimension & root proximity
7. cut into proximal area from both sides until few mm of interprox island remain
- use thinner, tapered diamond (needle diamond)
- if damage, polish with white stones, silicone points, prophylaxis paste
8. place cervical chamfer concurrently with axial reduction
- width : 0.5mm – allow adequate bulk of metal at the margin
- must be smooth & continuos mesiodistally
9. remove unsupported enamel
- liable to fracture
- create open margin
- failure of the restoration

3. 5) finishing
1. functions - to aid phases of fabrication of restoration
- to facilitate impression making, waxing investing, casting
- to enhance retention & resistance form
2. use fine-grit diamond/carbide bur
3. wider diamond is recommended
- it smooths out any unwanted ripples
- eliminate any unsupported enamel at margin
4. should be done smoothly with reduced speed handpiece
5. margin must be glassy smooth
6. round all the line angles
7. place non func cusp bevel if necessary
8. use air cooling to improve visibility
9. use water spray (when use air cooling) to prevent tooth from dehydrating and wash away debris
10. place additional retentive features (grooves/boxes)
- use tapered carbide bur
- slow handpiece
6) evaluation
1. detect the common errors that can reduce the retention
- overtapered
- undercuts
2. how to correct errors by using less conservative approach
- upright the overtapered axial walls to increase retention
- or use grooves/boxes/pinholes
3. tip of diamond should rest on the chamfer while making the axial reduction
4. assess occlusal & proximal clearances
- should be adjusted if inadequate
5. correct any probs before making interim restoration & impression
6. refer page 268 (fig 8-25)
Special Considerations
Functional cusp bevel
1. 1.5mm occlusal clearance
2. bevel must be angled flatter than external surface
3. bevel is placed 45' to long axis
Non-functional cusp bevel
1. min 0.6mm of clearance is needed for adequate strength
2. maxillary molars often require additional reduction bevel
- to prevent overcontoured restoration
3. unnecessary for mandibular molars
- as they are lingually inclined
- profile relatively straight
Chamfer Width
1. common error – increasing faciolingual width
- lead to periodontal disease
2. min 0.5mm is adequate
- to develop optimum axial contour
3. on premolars, make slightly narrower chamfer
- to conserve tooth struc & retention form
pae.