MARGINAL

CONFIGURATIONS
IN FIXED PARTIAL
DENTURES

INTRODUCTION
One of the essentials for success with tooth
preparation includes proper selection and
preparation of the cervical margin of the
preparation.

Margins are one of the most important and weakest

links in the success of the cast restorations.

SHAPE AND PLACEMENT OF

THE MARGIN INFLUENCES
1.Marginal integrity and structural
durability of the restoration
2. Health of the periodontium
3. Esthetics

Two major decisions must be made regarding the finish

line of every tooth to be prepared for a crown:

Position of margin
Design or
geometry

MARGINAL CONFIGURATIONS
Supragingival margins
Equigingival margins
Subgingival margins

FACTORS INVOLVED IN CHOICE OF

LOCATION OF GINGIVAL MARGINS
1. PERIODONTAL CONSIDERATION
-oral hygiene predisposition to periodontitis
2. ESTHETICS
3. RETENTION
4. FINISHING ON THE SOUND TOOTH STRUCTURE
APICAL TO CARIES OR EXISTING RESTORATION

SUPRAGINGIVAL MARGINS
Easier to prepare - No trauma
Usually situated on enamel
Easily finished
Impressions made easily
Easier for oral hygiene maintenance

SUBGINGIVAL FINISH
LINES
Esthetics
Extensive restorations /

fractures
Caries

FINISH LINES
The point at which a preparation
terminates on the tooth is called
the finish line.
Peripheral extension of a tooth
preparation. (GPT)

FUNCTIONS
Visual evaluation of the teeth preparation
Measure of the amount of tooth structure

removed
Correct marginal adaptation of the wax pattern

depends on an obvious finish line.

Evaluation of the restoration

IDEAL CHARACTERISTICS OF FINISH LINES

Shallow bevels nearly parallel to the cavo

surface should be avoided

Should not produce very acute margin
Tooth should not be reduced more than half of

the width of the diamond.

Should be as smooth as possible.

Fully exposed to the cleansing action.
Should be reproduced in the impression
Should be in enamel when ever possible
2-3mm away from the alveolar crest

GUIDELINES FOR
EVALUATING
FINISH LINES

CLASSIFICATION BASED ON THE

BASIS OF MARGIN ANGLE
(KUWATA)
Margin angle-angle formed between vertical projection from
the external surface of the tooth and its prepared surface

0 to 30 - beveled margins
31 to 60 - chamfer
61 to 90 - shoulder

HUNTERS
CLASSIFICATION
Margin widths below 0.3mm
Margin widths greater than 0.3mm

MARGIN LESS THAN 0.3

mm
Allows intraoral finishing-Burnishing of crown

margin
Conservative
Improves marginal seal

DISADVANTAGE
Difficult to prepare
Margins indistinct on impression and die
Over contoured restorations
Intraoral finishing procedure difficult and impractical
Unsupported wax-distortion during investing
Resistance to distortion of coping during porcelain

firing

MARGIN GREATER THAN 0.3 MM

A. J. Hunter classifies margin widths greater
than 0.3mm as Shoulders and bevelled
shoulders allowed incorporation of physiological
contours in temporary and final crowns

ADVANTAGES
Very well defined
Clearest finish line
Permits guide plane for removal prosthesis
Flattening contours to facilitate plaque control
Thickness of restorative material rigidity

during function

DISADVANTAGES
Less conservative
Bulky
Thickened wax pattern leads to increased

casting shrinkage

DIFFERENT TYPES OF FINISH LINE

FEATHER EDGE
Conservative

structure,

of

they

tooth
fail

to

provide adequate bulk at the

margins.
Over contoured restorations

Variation- chisel edge or

knife-edge margin

KNIFE EDGE
Long slanted edge, typically

used in a periodontally
involved tooth or where tooth
wall reduction is limited.
Conservative
Limiting with the crown

design

CHAMFER
Cast metal restoration
Lingual margins of metal-

ceramic
Care needed to avoid

unsupported enamel

DEEP CHAMFER
Used for all types of

facing crowns, PFM

and all ceramic crowns
Thick round ended

tapered bur is used

SHOULDER
Gingival

floor

meets

external

axial

surfaces

the
at

approximately a right angle

All ceramic
Facial

ceramic

margin

of

metal-

SHOULDER WITH BEVEL

Gingival floor meets the external

axial surfaces at approximately a

right angle with a slanted edge.
Metal collar is planned, to lower

stress

concentrations

on

the

porcelain at the margins.

Facial margins of metal ceramic

crowns with supragingival margins

Bevel preparation is made at 135 degree

angle from the vertical axial wall

Shoulder is 90 degree from vertical and the

bevel is an additional 45 degree

TO BEVEL OR NOT?
Bevelling reduces the closing angle at the

margin, to compensate for the incomplete

seating of the crown
Rosner(1963) -bevelled finish lines exhibited

compensatory capable of reducing the

marginal discrepancies of cast restorations

reduction of inherent defects in casting and

cementation
burnishing after cementation

development of circumferential retention

protection of enamel rods at the margins

Gravelis et al - eliminate casting error & measure

marginal opening due to marginal configuration
during cementation
Least Marginal Opening (31-44 ) - Feather

edge, shoulders and chamfers with parallel bevels

Moderate Marginal Opening (67 ) 90

shoulders
Maximum Marginal Openings (95-105 ) 45

shoulders and chamfers with 30 or 45 bevels.

BIOLOGIC WIDTH

WHAT HAPPENS IF BIOLOGIC

WIDTH GETS VIOLATED?
Bone loss of an unpredictable nature and gingival

tissue recession as the body attempts to recreate

room between alveolar bone and the margin to allow
space for reattachment
Trauma from restorative procedures-gingival

recession(when gingiva is thin and friable)

Gingival inflammation

If the margin intrudes into this biologic width, the

inflammation.
The bone will recede until once again it is at least 2 mm
away from
the margin

CONCLUSION
They must fit as close as possible against the finish

line of the preparation to minimize the width of the

exposed cement
They must have sufficient strength to withstand

mastication forces.
They should be located in areas where the dentist

can finish and inspect them and the patient can

clean them

REFERENCES
Fundamentals of fixed prosthodontics

Shillingburg
Contemporary prosthodontics Rosenstiel
Current theories of crown contour, margin

placement, and pontic design J Prosthet Dent

2005;107-114
Gingival crown margin configurations

The effect of crown marginal depth upon

gingival tissue. J Prosthet Dent 17:479-487, 1967

Cervical margin design with contemporary

esthetic restorations DCNA 2004

Relationship of crown margin placement to

gingival inflammation. J Prosthet Dent 1973;

30:156-161
Margins of the complete crowns Literature

review. J Prosthet Dent 1982; 48:396-400