Prosthodontics: Crowns and Bridges

Introduction to Prosthodontics

• Prosthesis refers to the replacement of absent body parts with artificial devices.
• Dental prosthesis includes devices that replace lost teeth or parts of crowns.
• Prosthodontics focuses on replacing missing teeth and associated tissues with prostheses (crowns, bridges, dentures).

Types of Dental Prosthesis

• Removable Dental Prosthesis: Can be inserted and removed by the patient.

  • Partial Denture: Supported by remaining natural teeth and edentulous ridges.
  • Complete Denture: Fully supported by edentulous ridges.

• Fixed Dental Prosthesis: Permanently fixed and can’t be removed by the patient.

  • Supported solely by natural teeth.

Crowns and Bridges

• Specializes in restoring damaged teeth with artificial crowns and replacing missing teeth with cast prostheses.

• Crown: An artificial restoration for the coronal part of a natural tooth.

  • Restores contour, function, and protects remaining tooth structures.

• Bridge: A fixed prosthesis that replaces one or more missing teeth.

  • Abutment: Natural tooth supporting the bridge.
  • Retainer: Part of the bridge cemented to the abutment, can be a crown or inlay.
  • Pontic: Replaces the missing tooth, restoring function and aesthetics.
  • Connector: Connects pontic to retainer or retainer to retainer. Connectors can be fixed or allow movement.

Additional Terms

• Pier Abutment: An abutment tooth between two pontics.

• Span: The space the bridge fills between natural teeth.

• Unit: Refers to either a retainer or pontic in bridge work (e.g., a three-unit bridge consists of two retainers and one pontic).

• Inlays: Intracoronal restorations cemented into tooth cavities, restoring contour and function.

  • Types include gold, composite, and porcelain inlays.

• Onlays: Extracoronal restorations that cover the occlusal surface and sometimes proximal surfaces of teeth.

Comparison of Inlays, Onlays, and Crowns

• Inlay: Intracoronal restoration gaining retention from internal surfaces.
• Onlay: Extracoronal restoration with similar preparation to inlays but includes occlusal reduction.
• Crown: Extracoronal restoration gaining retention from outer surfaces.

Purposes of Crown Construction

• Restores fractured or grossly damaged teeth and large fillings.
• Enhances speech and mastication function.
• Improves aesthetics for better patient appearance.
• Recontours occlusion to maintain periodontal health and prevent food impaction.
• Acts as a retainer for bridges.