This document discusses the principles and considerations for pontic design in fixed partial dentures. It defines a pontic as an artificial tooth that replaces a missing tooth and restores function. The key factors in pontic design are biological considerations to maintain healthy tissue, esthetic considerations to replicate the natural tooth, and mechanical considerations for strength and durability. Different pontic designs are described based on their relationship to soft tissues and the materials used. The ideal pontic design depends on the location in the mouth and priorities of esthetics, function, and oral hygiene.

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PONTICS

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•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,
– Patient comfort.

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Definitions
“An artificial tooth on a FPD that replaces a
missing tooth, restores its function, & usually fills
the space previously occupied by the natural
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
 Colour stability
 Do not over load the abutment tooth
 Non irritant

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General design considerations
Gingival surface –depends on material and degree of contact.
highly polished, / glazed porcelain
Occlusal surface – decreased occlusal table
Proximal surface – embrasures left open, anterior embrasures closed
for esthetics, easy cleansing.
Buccal and lingual surfaces –esthetic, function, hygiene

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

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PRINCIPLE CONSIDERATIONS IN PONTIC DESIGNING
• Biological consideration
• Esthetic consideration
• Mechanical Consideration

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BIOLOGICAL CONSIDERATION
• 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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• This passive contact should occur
exclusively on keratinized attached tissue.
• When a pontic rests on mucosa, some
ulceration may appear as 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 particular emphasis 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 threader are
highly recommended.

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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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• Occlusal contacts should not fall on the junction
between metal and porcelain during centric or
eccentric tooth contacts, nor should a metal
ceramic junction occur in contact with the residual
ridge on the gingival surface of the pontic.

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Occlusal forces
• Potentially harmful forces are more likely to
encounter if an FPD is loaded by an accidental
biting on a hard object or Para functional activities
like bruxism rather than 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.
• For these 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
– Improper choice of materials,
– Poor framework design,
– Poor tooth preparation,
– Poor occlusion.
• These factors can lead to fracture of the prosthesis or
displacement of the retainers.
• Long-span posterior FPDs are particularly
susceptible to mechanical problems.

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Failure of a long span metal
ceramic FPD due to high stress

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

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

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

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• I. BASED ON RELATION TO SOFT TISSUES
•With mucosal contact
saddle pontic
ridge lap
modified ridge lap
ovate pontic
bullet pontic
Without mucosal contact
sanitary pontic and its modifications

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

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

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

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SADDLE PONTIC
It is called sobecause it overlaps the facial and lingual
aspects of the ridge.
A contact with the ridge that extends beyond the
midline of the edentulous ridge, or a sharp angle at the
linguogingival aspect of the tissue contact, constitutes a
ridge lap.
Difficult to maintain –food entrapment. Hence not
accepted.

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Ridge lap
• Resembles the natural tooth
• Close to ridge – leads to inflammation

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Inaccessible to clean

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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
• Tissue surface has ‘T’ shaped contact.

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

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Conical / Bullet/ Heart shaped
Contact at one point
• Location
• Advantages
• Disadvantages
• Indications
• Contra indications
• Materials
► Molars without esthetics
► Good accesses For oral hygiene
► Poor esthetics
► Posteriors
► Poor oral hygiene
► All metals ,metal
ceramics, all resin

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Sanitary/hygienic
No tissue contact
• 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 metal

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BAR SANITARY PONTICS
Flat Gingival Surface
This design has been called an “arc-fixed partial
denture”modified sanitary pontic, Perel pontic”.
PEREL PONTIC

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FISH BELLY PONTIC
Gingival surface convex both
directions.
Disadvantages-decreased
connector size, strength,
difficult to maintain.

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CUSTOMISED PONTICS – wax pattern and casting, better esthetics
PREFABRICATED PONTICS
PONTIC FACINGS adjusted accordingly,
metal backing has to be customised,
TRUPONTIC-slot on
lingual side, proximal
bevels -retention

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Inerchangeable facings – vertical slots on
lingual side
PIN FACINGS -2 pins on lingual
side.

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REVERSE PIN FACING – holes are
made in this on lingual surface
HARMONY FACINGS -2
retentive pins, porcelain is
added on gingival surface,
contoured and glazed.

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PONTIP – convex gingival
surface, 2 retentive pins,
pin point contacts

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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