Pontic Design Considerations for Fixed Partial Dentures

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INDIAN DENTAL ACADEMY
Leader in continuing dental education
www.indiandentalacademy.com

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• Introduction
• History
• Definitions
• Requirements
• Basic principles of pontic design
• Principle considerations in pontic designing
• Specifications for Pontic Design
• Classifications
• Pretreatment assessment
• Pontic designs
• Summary
• Conclusion
• References

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• Replacement of a missing tooth is not a simple
replacement, because placing an exact anatomic
replica of the tooth in the space would be hygienically
unmanageable.
•Replacement of a missing tooth is a compromise at
best
• Its name is derived from the Latin pons, meaning
bridge.
•The design of the prosthetic tooth will be dictated by
– Esthetics,
– Function,
– Ease of cleaning,
– Maintenance of healthy tissue on the edentulous ridge,

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History
• Ancient relics of early civilization
– detached natural teeth from one mouth adjusted to another by
means of ligature wires
• Phoeniceans were the first to construct dental bridge work
• Kerr & Roger in 1877 suggested that teeth of ivory or bone
secured by copper wire or catgut string were used in china
for ages before they were introduced to Europe
• Pierre Fouchard 1923- Father of modern dental prosthesis
• He used “Tenons” which were in reality dowels or pivots
screwed into the roots to retain some of his bridges

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• Seldberg in 1936
– Gold or porcelain or combination of two
• Restoration must meet
– Protection,
– Comfort
– Esthetics
– Durability
– Utility

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Definitions
“An artificial tooth on a FPD that replaces a
missing natural teeth, restores function, & usually
fills the space previously occupied by the clinical
crown”.
GPT
“An artificial tooth suspended from the abutment teeth
is a pontic”
-Shillingberg HT
“Pontics are the artificial teeth of a fixed partial denture
that replace missing natural teeth, restoring function
and appearance”
-Rosenstiel SF

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REQUIREMENTS
 Restore function.
 Provide esthetics and comfort.
 Be biologically acceptable.
 Permit effective oral hygiene.
 Preserve underlying residual mucosa
 Adequate strength
 Colourstability
 Do not overload the abutment tooth
 Non irritant

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Basic Principles of pontic design
Cleansability
Appearance
Strength
Becker & Kaldahl in JPD 1981– Current theories of crown
contour, margin placement, and pontic design
Guidelines
•Buccal and lingual contours are flat
•Embrasure spaces should be open
•Contact should be high
•Furcation should be fluted
•For posterior spaces – modified ridge lap
•For anterior spaces - ridge lap

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Cleansability
• All surfaces of the pontic,
especially adjacent to the
saddle, should be made as
cleansable as possible.
• They must be smooth
and highly polished or
glazed, not contain any
junctions between
materials.
• The embrasure space
and connectors should be
smooth and cleansable.

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Appearance
• Where the full length of the pontic is
visible, it must look as tooth like as
possible.
• In premolarand first molarregion it is
often possible to strike a happy
compromise between reasonable
appearances forthose parts of the pontic
that are visible and good access for
cleaning towards the ridge.www.indiandentalacademy.com

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Strength
• The longerthe span, the greaterthe
occlusal gingival thickness of the pontic
should be.
• All pontics should be designed to
withstand occlusal forces; but porcelain
pontics in the anteriorpart of the mouth
may not of course be accepted to
withstand accidental traumatic force.

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PRINCIPLECONSIDERATIONSIN PONTIC DESIGNING
• Biological consideration
• Esthetic consideration
• Mechanical Consideration
Fayyad and Al-rafee, J Oral Rehabil 1996
•156 dental bridges – college of dentistry
•Material used was metal ceramic,
•Results – rate of bridge failure 35.5%
•Reasons for failure
•Periodontal disease – 36.6%
•Secondary caries – 23.2%
•Pontics used
•Modified ridge lap – 50.8%
•Saddle type – 59.6%

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BIOLOGICALCONSIDERATION
• The biologic principles of pontic design
pertain to the maintenance and preservation
of the residual ridge, abutment and opposing
teeth, and supporting tissue.
– Ridge contact
– Oral hygiene considerations
– Pontic materials
– Occlusal forces

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Ridge contact
• Pressure free contact
between the pontic and the
underlying tissues is indicated
to prevent ulceration and
inflammation of the soft
tissues.
• If any blanching of the soft
tissue is observed at try-in, the
pressure area should be
identified with a disclosing
medium (i.e., pressure-
indicating paste) and the
pontic re contoured until tissue

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• This passive contact should occur
exclusively on keratinized attached
tissue.
• When a pontic rests on mucosa,
some ulceration may appearas a
result of the normal movement of the
mucosa in contact with the pontic.

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Oral hygiene considerations
• The chief cause of ridge irritation is the toxins
released from microbial plaque, which accumulate
between the gingival surface of the pontic and the
residual ridge, causing tissue inflammation and
calculus formation.
• Patients must be taught efficient oral hygiene
techniques, with particularemphasis on cleaning the
gingival surface of the pontic.

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• Where tissue contact occurs,
the gingival surface of a pontic
is inaccessible to the bristles of
a toothbrush. Therefore,
excellent hygiene habits must
be developed by the patient.
• Devices such as proxy
brushes, pipe cleaners, super
floss, and dental floss with a
threaderare highly
recommended.

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• Sten RS in JPD 1958
• “for a patient to maintain good oral
hygiene to prevent formation of plaques
and to enjoy the assurance of longevity of
post dental restoration”
• Glazed porcelain presented to gingival
tissue is indispensable factor in pontic

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Pontic material
• Any material chosen to fabricate the pontic
should provide good esthetic results where
needed;
– Biocompatibility,
– Rigidity,
– Strength to withstand occlusal forces;
– Longevity.
• FPDs should be made as rigid as possible,
because any flexure during mastication or
Para function may cause pressure on the
gingiva and cause fractures of the veneering
material.

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• Metal ceramic pontics are
stifferand withstand
occlusal forces betterif
they are made fairly thick
and if the porcelain is
carried right round them
,from the occlusal to the
ridge surface, leaving
only a line of metal
visible on the lingual
surface ornone at all

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• Occlusal contacts should not fall on the
junction between metal and porcelain during
centric oreccentric tooth contacts, norshould a
metal ceramic junction occurin contact with the
residual ridge on the gingival surface of the
pontic.

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• Clayton JA in JPD 1970
• Concluded that test surfaces of glazed porcelain were
significantly rougher than polished test surfaces of either
acrylic resin or cast gold
• Behrend DA in JPD 1981 & Henry PJ in JPD 1966
• STATED THAT GLAZED PORCELAIN WAS MOST
HYGIENIC MATERIAL USED AND IT IS SUPERIOR IN
TERMS OF ESTHETICS AND CLEANING

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Occlusal forces
• Potentially harmful forces are more likely to
encounterif an FPDis loaded by an accidental
biting on a hard object orPara functional
activities like bruxism ratherthan by chewing
food of uniform consistency.

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• These forces are not reduced by narrowing
the occlusal table
• Narrowing the occlusal table may impede or
even preclude the development of harmonious
and stable occlusal relationship.
• Forthese reasons pontic with normal
occlusal width of at least on the occlusal third
are generally recommended

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Mechanical considerations
• Mechanical problems may be caused by
– Improperchoice of materials,
– Poorframework design,
– Poortooth preparation,
– Poorocclusion.
• These factors can lead to fracture of the
prosthesis ordisplacement of the retainers.
• Long-span posteriorFPDs are particularly
susceptible to mechanical problems.www.indiandentalacademy.com

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Failure of a long span metalFailure of a long span metal
ceramic FPDdue to highceramic FPDdue to high
stressstress www.indiandentalacademy.com

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• A strong all-metal pontic may be needed in
high-stress situations ratherthan a metal-
ceramic pontic which would be more
susceptible to fracture.
• When metal ceramic pontics are chosen,
extending porcelain onto the occlusal surfaces
to achieve betteresthetics should also be
carefully evaluated.

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AVAILABLE PONTIC MATERIALS
• Some fixed partial dentures are fabricated
entirely of
– metal,
– porcelain,
– oracrylic resin,
– but most use a combination of metal and porcelain.
• Acrylic resin veneered pontics have had
limited acceptance because of theirreduced
durability (wearand discoloration).

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• The newerindirect composites, based on
high inorganic-filled resins and the fiber-
reinforced materials used in composite resin
and resin-veneered pontics.

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Metal-ceramic Pontics.
Most pontics are fabricated by the metal-
ceramic technique.
•A well fabricated metal-ceramic pontic is
–strong, easy to keep clean,
–and looks natural.

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Resin veneered Pontics.
• Historically acrylic resin-veneered
restorations had deficiencies that made them
acceptable only as long term provisionals.
• Theirresistance to abrasion was lowerthan
enamel orporcelain, and noticeable wear
occurs with normal tooth brushing.

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ADVANTAGES OVERCERAMICS
– They are easy to manipulate and repair
and do not require the high melting
range alloys needed formetal-ceramic
techniques.
– New generation indirect resin have a
higherdensity of inorganic ceramic filler
than traditional direct and indirect
composite resin.

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FIBER REINFORCED COMPOSITE RESIN PONTICS
• Composite resin can be used in FPDwithout
a metal substructure
• A substructure matrix of impregnated glass
orpolymerfiberprovides structural strength.

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ESTHETIC CONSIDERATIONS
• No matterhow well biologic and mechanical
principles have been followed during
fabrication, the patient will evaluate the result
by how it looks, especially when anterior
teeth have been replaced.
• Many esthetic considerations that pertain to
single crowns also apply to the pontic. Several
problems unique to the pontic may be
encountered when attempting to achieve a
natural appearance.

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The gingival interface
• An esthetically successful pontic SHOULD
replicate
– The form,
– Contours,
– Incisal edge,
– Gingival and incisal embrasures,
– Colorof adjacent teeth.
• The pontics simulation of a natural tooth is
most often betrayed at the tissue-pontic
interface.

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• The greatest challenge here is to
compensate foranatomic changes that occur
afterextraction. Special attention should be
paid to the contourof the labial surface as it
approaches the pontic-tissue junction to
achieve a natural appearance
• This cannot be accomplished by merely
duplicating the facial contourof the missing
tooth, because aftera tooth is removed, the
alveolarbone undergoes resorption and/or
remodeling.www.indiandentalacademy.com

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• If the pontic is poorly adapted to the residual
ridge, there will be an un natural shadow in
the cervical area but looks odd and spoils the
illusion of the natural tooth.
• Additional recesses acquiring at the gingival
interface will collect food debris further
betraying the illusion of the natural teeth.

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• Edelhoff, spiekermann and yildirim in
Quintessence Int 2002
• Pontic design is primarily influenced by esthetic and
phonetic considerations
• Local defects of the alveolar ridge often complicate
restorative measures
• They advocated modification of the pontic design and
pretreatment of the recipient site for the pontic

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SPECIFICATIONS FOR
PONTIC DESIGN:
•POSTERIOR PONTIC DESIGN
•ANTERIOR PONTIC DESIGN

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• All surfaces should be smooth and convex
and properly finished
• Contact with the labial mucosa should be
minimal and pressure free
• Esthetics may require a long area of contact
to prevent the “black space appearance”
ANTERIOR PONTIC DESIGN

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POSTERIOR PONTIC DESIGN
• All surfaces should be convex and properly
finish
• Contact with buccal contagious slope should be
minimal and pressure free
• Buccal and lingual shunting mechanism should
confirm to that of adjacent teeth
• The occlusal table must be in functional
harmony with the occlusion of all the teeth.
• The overall length of the buccal surface should
be equal to that of the adjacent abutment teethwww.indiandentalacademy.com

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CLASSIFICATION
OF
PONTICS
•Based on relation to soft tissues
•Based on materials used
•Prefabricated pontics
•Based on retention used for facing

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I BASED ON RELATION TO SOFT TISSUES
A -Mucosal contact
– Ridge lap/saddle
– Modified ridge lap
– Ovate
– Conical
B- No Mucosal contact
• Sanitary (hygienic)
• Modified sanitary(hygienic)

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II BASED ON MATERIALS USED
A - Metallic
– Gold alloys
– Nickel chromium alloy
B - Non Metallic
• Acrylic
• Porcelain
C - Combination-alloys with acrylic or porcelain

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III PRE FABRICATED PONTICS
• Trupontic
• Interchangeable facing
• Pin facing
• Modified pin facing
• Reverse pin facing
• Harmony facing
• Porcelain fused to metal

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IV BASED ON TYPE OF RETENTION USED FOR
FACING
• Pins, Post and Cores
• Bonded to metal – in case of porcelain
• Mechanical inter locking
– –under cut
• –acrylic

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PRE TREATMENT ASSESMENT
• PONTIC SPACE.
• TISSUE CONTACT.
• POSTINSERTION HYGIENE.

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PONTIC SPACE
• One function of an FPDis to prevent tilting or
drifting of the adjacent teeth into the
edentulous space.
• If such movement has already occurred, the
space available forthe pontic may be reduced
and its fabrication complicated.

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• At this point, creating an acceptable
appearance without orthodontic repositioning
of the abutment teeth is often impossible
particularly if esthetic is important.
• When orthodontic repositioning is not possible,
increasing the proximal contours of the
adjacent teeth may be betterthan making an
FPDwith undersized pontics

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TISSUE CONTACT
• The extent and shape of the
pontic contact with the ridge is
very important.
• Excessive tissue contact has
been cited as a majorfactorin
the failure of fixed partial
dentures.
• The area of contact between
the pontic and the ridge should
be small and the portion of
the pontic touching the ridge
should be as convex as
possible. www.indiandentalacademy.com

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• If there is contact along the gingivofacial angle
of the pontic, there must be no space between
pontic and soft tissue on the facial side of the
ridge.
• If the tip of the pontic extends past the
mucogingival junction, an ulcerwill form there.
• The pontic should contact only attached
keratinized gingiva

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Post insertion Hygiene
• Mesial distal and lingual
gingival embrasure of the
pontic should be wide open to
allow the patient easy access
forcleaning
• The contact between the
pontic and tissue must allow
the passage of floss from one
retainerto the other
• Good hygiene around and
underthe pontic with dental
floss, interproximal brushes or
pipe cleaners. www.indiandentalacademy.com

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• Even the smoothest pontic surface must be
cleaned well and often to prevent the
accumulation of plaque.
• If cleaning is not done at frequent, regular
intervals, the tissue around the pontic will
become inflamed.

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• Pontics designed forplacement in the
appearance zone (areas of high visibility)
must produce illusion of being teeth,
esthetically, without compromising
cleaning ability.
• Those pontics placed in the
nonappearance zone (usually mandibular
posteriorreplacements) are there to
restore function and prevent the drifting
of teeth.

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Success of the FPD
depends on the
pontic design.

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• According to Eissmann, the boundaries of
the edentulous space are the residual ridge,
the opposing occlusal surface, the proximal
surfaces of the abutment teeth, and the
musculature of the tongue and cheek orlips.
• The design consists of constructing a
substitute tooth that favorably compares in
form, function, and appearance with the tooth
it replaces.

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Pontic Designs
There are several designs available for use in
situations requiring pontics in the fabrication
of FPDs.They are:
Hygienic,
Saddle (Ridge Lap),
Modified Ridge Lap,
Conical,
Ovate,
Prefabricated Pontic Facings, &
Metal- Ceramic Pontics.

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Sanitary or Hygienic Pontic
• The term hygienic is used to
describe pontics that have no
contact with the edentulous
ridge.
• As its name implies, the
primary design feature of the
sanitary pontic allows easy
cleaning, because its tissue
surface remains clearof the
residual ridge.

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• This pontic design is frequently called a
"sanitary pontic," which in years past was the
trade name fora prefabricated, convex
facing with’ a slot back, used formandibular
molarpontics '
• This hygienic design permits easierplaque
control by allowing gauze strips and other
cleaning devices to be passed underthe
pontic and seesawed in shoe-shine fashion.

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• The hygienic pontic is used in the
nonappearance zone, particularly for
replacing mandibularfirst molars. It
restores occlusal function and stabilizes
adjacent and opposing teeth. If there is
no requirement foresthetics, it can be
made entirely of metal.

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• The occlusogingival thickness
of the pontic should be no
less than 3.0 mm. and there
should be adequate space
underit to facilitate cleaning.
The hygienic pontic is
frequently made overall-
convex configuration,
faciolingually and
mesiodistally
3mm

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• Making the undersurface of the pontic
round without angles allows foreasier
flossing. It is more difficult to get floss
to pass overa flat undersurface evenly,
orto get oversharp faciogingival and
linguogingival line angles. The round
design has been described as a “fish
belly".

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• Its disadvantages include entrapment of
food particles, which may lead to tongue
habits that may annoy the patient.
• The hygienic pontic is the least "tooth like"
design and is therefore reserved forteeth
seldom displayed during function (i.e., the
mandibularmolars).

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• An alternative design, in which the pontic
is made in the form of a concave archway
mesiodistally. The undersurface of the pontic
is convex faciolingually, giving the tissue-
facing surface of the pontic the configuration
of a hyperbolic paraboloid.
• There is added bulk forstrength in the
connectors, and access forcleaning is good.
An esthetic version of this pontic can be
created by veneering with porcelain those
parts of the pontic that are likely to bewww.indiandentalacademy.com

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• This design has been called an
“arc-fixed partial denture”
a "modified sanitary pontic”, or
simply a
“Perel pontic”.

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SADDLE OR RIDGE LAP PONTIC
• This pontic looks
most like a tooth,
replacing all the
contours of the
missing tooth.
• It forms a large
concave contact with
the ridge, obliterating
the facial, lingual, and
proximal embrasures.

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• It is also called a ridge lap, because it
overlaps the facial and lingual aspects of the
ridge.
• A contact with the ridge that extends
beyond the midline of the edentulous ridge,
ora sharp angle at the linguogingival aspect
of the tissue contact, constitutes a ridge lap

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• This design has long been recognized as
being unclean and uncleansable and it still
is.
• The saddle causes tissue inflammation, and
it should not be used.
• This design deficiency has been shown to
result in tissue inflammation

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MODIFIED RIDGE LAP PONTIC
• The modified ridge lap pontic combines the
best features of the hygienic and saddle
pontic designs, combining esthetics with easy
cleaning.
• This design gives the illusion of a tooth,
but it possesses all ornearly all convex
surfaces forease of cleaning

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FPD partially seated
FPD completely seated
A :max, B:mand

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• The lingual surface should have a slight
deflective contourto prevent food impaction
and minimize plaque accumulation.
• There may be a slight facio-lingual concavity
on the facial side of the ridge, which can be
cleaned and tolerated by the tissue as long as
the tissue contact is narrow mesiodistally and
faciolingually.

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• Ridge contact must extend no farther
lingually than the midline of the edentulous
ridge, even on posteriorteeth.
• The contourof the-tissue-contacting area of
the pontic should be convex, even if a small
amount of soft tissue on the ridge must be
surgically removed to facilitate it.

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•Tissue contact should resembleTissue contact should resemble
a letterTwhose vertical arma letterTwhose vertical arm
ends at the crest of the ridge.ends at the crest of the ridge.
•This design was historicallyThis design was historically
referred to as ridge-lap; the termreferred to as ridge-lap; the term
ridge-lap is now usedridge-lap is now used
synonymously with the saddlesynonymously with the saddle
design.design.
• The modified ridge lap designThe modified ridge lap design
is the most common pontic formis the most common pontic form
used in areas of the mouth thatused in areas of the mouth that
are visible during function.are visible during function.

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• This design, with a porcelain veneer, is
the most commonly used pontic design in
the appearance zone forboth maxillary
and mandibularfixed partial dentures

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CONICAL PONTIC
• Often ,called egg-shaped,
bullet-shaped, orheart-
shaped, the conical pontic is
easy forthe patient to keep it
clean.
• This pontic is related to the
"sanitary dummy" described
by Tinkerin 1918.
• Its use is limited to
replacement of teeth overthin
ridges in the nonappearance
zone. www.indiandentalacademy.com

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• It should be made as convex
as possible with only one point
of contact at the centerof the
residual ridge.
• The conical pontic is rounded
and cleanable, but the tip is
small in relation to the overall
size of the pontic. It is well
suited foruse on a thin
mandibularridge.

92
• When used with a broad, flat
ridge, the resulting large
triangularembrasure spaces
around the tissue contact have
a tendency to collect debris.
• This type of design may be
unsuitable forbroad residual
ridges, because the emergence
profile associated with the
small tissue contact point may
create areas of food
entrapment. www.indiandentalacademy.com

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A: correctly with
a thin ridge
B:incorrectly with
broad flat ridge

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OVATE PONTIC
• The ovate pontic is a round-end design
currently in use where esthetics is a primary
concern.
• Its antecedent was the porcelain root-
tipped pontic, which was used considerably
before 1930-as an esthetic and sanitary
substitute forthe saddle pontic.

95
FPDpartially seated
FPDcompletely seatedwww.indiandentalacademy.com

96
• The ovate pontic is the most
esthetically appealing pontic
design. Its convex tissue
surface resides in a soft tissue
depression orhollow in the
residual ridge, which makes it
appearthat a tooth is literally
emerging from the gingiva.
• The tissue-contacting
segment of the ovate pontic is
bluntly rounded, and it is set
into a concavity in the ridge.

97
• The concavity can be created
by placement of a provisional
fixed partial denture with the
pontic extending one-quarterof
the way into the socket
immediately afterextraction of
the tooth.

98
Advantage
• It is easily flossed.
• Its strength
• Its pleasing appearance
• In addition, its recessed form is not
susceptible to food impaction.
• The broad convex geometry is strongerthan
that of the modified ridge lap pontic.

99
Disadvantages
• Because the tissue surface
of the pontic is convex in all
dimensions, it is accessible to
dental floss; however,
meticulous oral hygiene is
necessary to prevent tissue
inflammation resulting from
the large area of tissue
contact.
• Otherdisadvantage include
the need forsurgical tissue
management. www.indiandentalacademy.com

100
Prefabricated Pontic Facings
• At one time, preformed porcelain facings
were popularforfabricating pontics.
• They required adaptation to a specific
edentulous space, afterwhich they were
reglazed.

101
Slot
back
Reverse pin facing Harmony pin facing
Tru- pontic Pontipwww.indiandentalacademy.com

102
• Some, such as Trupontics, Sanitary pontics,
and Steeles facings, relied on a lug in a custom
cast metal backing to engage a slot in the
occlusal orlingual surface of the facing
• The large bulk of porcelain could result in a
thin gold backing susceptible to flexing.

103
• Harmony and Trubyte facings used
horizontal pins that fit into the gold backing.
• They were difficult to use in limited
occlusogingival space, and refitting the pins
into a backing aftercasting was demanding.

104
• Porcelain denture teeth also were
modified to use as pontic facings. Multiple
pin holes, 2.0 mm deep, were made with
a drill press in the lingual surface of the
reverse pin facing. The pins came out of
the backing, providing retention where a
deep overbite would have overshortened
conventional pins.
• Unfortunately, the pin holes in the facing
were stress points that led to fracture.www.indiandentalacademy.com

105
PREFABRICATEDWAX PONTIC

106
Metal-Ceramic Pontics
• Most pontics are fabricated by the metal-
ceramic technique.
• With the widespread use of metal-ceramic
restorations, metal- ceramic pontics have
replaced othertypes of pontics employing
porcelain.
• Metal-ceramic pontics have the greatest
esthetic potential as prosthetic
replacements
formissing teethwww.indiandentalacademy.com

107
• A well fabricated metal-ceramic pontic is
strong, easy to keep clean, and looks
natural.
• Additionally, metal-ceramic pontics are
stronger, since the porcelain is bonded to
the metal substrate ratherthan cemented
to it.

108
• Excessive thickness of porcelain contributes to
inadequate support and predisposes to eventual
fracture.
• Sharp angles on the veneering area should
be rounded. They produce increased stress
concentrations that can cause mechanical failure

109
• Any deformation of the metal frame
work at the junction can lead to the
chipping porcelain.
• They are easierto use because the backing
is custom made fora space (no need to
adapt a premade porcelain facing to the
space).

110www.indiandentalacademy.com

111
METAL CERAMIC
• Advantages ► esthetics,
biocompatible
• Disadvantages ►weaker than all metal
• Indication ► most situations
• Contraindications ► long spans with high stresses

112
All metal
• Advantages ►strength,easy
procedure
• Disadvantages ► non esthetic
• Indication ► mandibular molars
• Contraindications ► where esthetics is important

113
Fiber reinforced all resin
• Advantages ► Conservative,
esthetics,
ease of repair
• Disadvantages ► Limited to short span
• Indications ► High esthetic concern
• Contra indications ► Long span FPDs

114
Saddle/ridge lap
• Location ►Not recommended
• Advantages ►Esthetics
• Disadvantages ►Poor oral hygiene
• Indications ►Not recommended
• Contra indications ►Not recommended
• Materials ►Not applicable

115
Sanitary/hygienic
• Location ►Posterior mandible
• Advantages ►Good access for oral
hygiene
• Disadvantages ► Poor esthetics
• Indications ►Non esthetics zones&
impaired oral hygiene
• Contra indications ►Where esthetic is
important
• Materials ►All metalwww.indiandentalacademy.com

116
Modified ridge lap
• Location ►High esthetic
• Advantages ►Good esthetics
• Disadvantages ►Moderately easy to clean
• Indications ►Area with esthetic concern
• Contra indications ►Where minimal esthetic concern
• Materials ►Metal ceramic and all resin

117
Conical
• Location
• Advantages
• Disadvantages
• Indications
• Contra indications
• Materials
► Molars without esthetics
► Good accesses For oral hygie
► Poor esthetics
► Posteriors
► Poor oral hygiene
► All metals ,metal
ceramics, all resin

118
Ovate
• Location ► Maxillary anteriors
• Advantages ► Superior esthetics,
ease of cleaning
• Disadvantages ► Requires surgical preparation
• Indications ► Optimal esthetics,
high smile line
• Contra indications ► Un willingness
for surgery
• Materials ► Metal ceramic,
all resins

119
Conclusion
• Principles of pontic designing is the primary
concern
• In posterior segment where esthetics is not critical,
a sanitary pontic form is most compatible with
function and hygiene
• In the maxillary anterior region – modified ridge
lap pontic design constructed of glazed porcelain
readily fulfills both esthetic and physiologic
requirements
• Role of oral hygiene measures plays a vital role
• Patient should be highly motivated and instructed

120
Referances
• DCNA Comprehensive fixed prosthodontics vol. 36 1992
• Tylman, Theory and practice of fixed prosthodontics 8th
edition
• Rosenstiel, contemporary fixed prosthodontics, 3rd
edn,
• Shillingberg, fundementals of fixed prosthodontics, 3rd
edn.,
• JPD vol.28, 1972
• JPD vol.16, 1966
• Quintessence Int 2002
• JPD vol.46, 1981
• J.oral Rehabil 1996
• JPD vol.88, 2002
• IJP vol.9, 1996
• J Prosthodont, vol.11, 2002www.indiandentalacademy.com

www.indiandentalacademy.com 121

Pontic Design Considerations for Fixed Partial Dentures

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Pontic Design Considerations for Fixed Partial Dentures