Third Year

FIXED PROSTHODONTICD

1
Pontics
Definition
• Pontics are the artificial teeth of a fixed partial
denture that replace missing natural teeth,
restoring function and appearance.
• Its name is derived from the Latin pons,
meaning bridge
• They must be compatible with continued oral
health and comfort.
Pontic are designed to

1. To improve appearance
2. To stabilize the occlusion
3. To improve masticatory function
4. speech
The principle guiding the pontic design

1. Cleanable
It forms a large concave contact with the ridge
It overlap the lingual and facial aspect of the
ridge
2. Hygienic
It describe pontic that has no contact with the
edentulous ridge.
Pontic Designs
Pontic selection depends primarily on esthetics
and oral hygiene.
In the anterior region, where esthetics is a
concern, the pontic should be well adapted to
the tissue to make it appear that it emerges
from the gingiva.
Conversely, in the posterior regions
(mandibular premolar and molar areas),
esthetics can be compromised in the interest of
designs that are more amenable to oral
hygiene.
 Principles of
pontic design
Principles of pontic design

Pontics are designed to serve the three main

functions of a bridge:
 To improve appearance.
 To stabilize occlusion.
 To improve masticatory function.
 In different areas of the mouth the relative
importance of these will alter. The principles
guiding the design of the pontic are :
 Cleansability.
 Appearance.
 Strength.
Pontic designs
 1) SANITARY (HYGIENIC) PONTIC

 Is used to describe pontics that have no contact

with the edentulous ridge .
 The hygienic pontic is used in the non-
appearance zone, particularly for replacing
mandibular first molars.
 It restores occlusal function and stabilizes
adjacent and opposing teeth If there is no
requirement for esthetics, it can be made
entirely of metal.
 1) SANITARY (HYGIENIC) PONTIC
 The occluso-gingival thickness of the pontic
should be no less than 3.0 mm, and there
should be adequate space under it to facilitate
cleaning.
 The hygienic pontic is frequently made in an
all-convex configuration, faciolingually and
mesiodistally, making the undersurface of the
pontic round without angles allows for easier
flossing.
• A, Sanitary pontic. B and C, Modified sanitary pontic. D, Placement of
the pontic, close to the ridge, has resulted in tissue proliferation (arrow).
• The patient must be instructed how to clean the
gingival surface of a pontic with floss.
 2) SADDLE (RIDGE LAP) PONTIC
 The saddle pontic has a concave fitting surface
that overlaps the residual ridge buccolingually,
simulating the contours and emergence profile of
the missing tooth on both sides of the residual
ridge.

 However, saddle or ridge lap designs should be

avoided because the concave gingival surface of
the pontic is not accessible to cleaning with dental
floss, which will lead to plaque accumulation.
The saddle causes tissue inflammation
3) MODIFIED RIDGE LAP PONTIC

 It combines the best features of the hygienic

and saddle pontic designs, combining esthetics
with easy cleaning.

 The lingual surface should have a slight

deflective contour to prevent food impaction
and minimize plaque accumulation.
3) MODIFIED RIDGE LAP PONTIC

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 mesio-distally and
facio-lingually.
This design, with a porcelain veneer, is the
most commonly used pontic design in the
appearance zone for both maxillary and
mandibular fixed partial dentures
4) CONICAL PONTIC

Often called egg-shaped, bullet-shaped, or

heart-shaped,
It is easy for the patient to keep clean. It
should be made as convex as possible, with only
one point of contact at the center of the residual
ridge. This design is recommended for the
replacement of mandibular posterior teeth where
esthetics is a lesser concern.
4) CONICAL PONTIC

It is well suited for use on a thin mandibular

ridge .
However, when used with a broad, flat ridge,
the resulting large triangular embrasure spaces
around the tissue contact have a tendency to
collect debris.
5) OVATE PONTIC

 The ovate pontic is the most esthetically

appealing pontic design. Its convex tissue
surface resides in a soft tissue .
 depression or hollow in the residual ridge,
which makes it appear that a tooth is literally
emerging from the gingiva.
5) OVATE PONTIC

 The concavity can be created by placement of

a provisional fixed partial denture with the
pontic extending one-quarter of the way into
the socket immediately after extraction of the
tooth or it can be created surgically later.
Ovate pontic. A, FPD partially seated. B, FPD seated.
 PONTIC
MATERIALS
PONTIC MATERIALS
Metal Pontics.
Porcelain Pontics.
Metal-ceramic Pontics: A well fabricated
metal-ceramic pontic is strong, easy to keep
clean, and looks natural.
Resin-veneered Pontics: Their resistance to
abrasion was lower than enamel or porcelain,
and noticeable wear occurred with normal
tooth-brushing.
Fiber-reinforced Composite Resin Pontics.
RETAINERS
Retainers:
• All fixed-fixed, cantilever and spring
cantilever bridges have only major retainers.
• Fixed-movable bridges have a major retainer
at one end of the pontic and a minor retainer
(carrying the movable joint) at the other.
• Intra -coronal retainers are used only as minor
retainers except for very retentive MOD
protected cusp inlays.
Retainers:
• Major retainer preparations must be retentive
and with conventional bridges. It must cover the
whole occluding surface of the tooth.
• When the tooth is intact a mmimal-preparartion
retainer is more conservative of tooth tissue than
a complete crown.
• Retainers could be: complete crown, partial
crown, intra-coronal or minimal-preparation
retainers.
 Criteria for choosing a suitable
retainer
 Alignment of abutment teeth and retention.
 Appearance.
 Condition of abutment teeth.
 Conservation of tooth tissue.
 Occlusion.
 Cost.
 Thank you
Esp thanks to DR.LOBABA IBRAHIM