PONTICS

Objectives:

❑ Discuss the importance of appropriate pontic design

❑ Classify different pontic designs.
❑ Compare between different pontic designs.
❑ Select the appropriate pontic design for each case.
Contents:

◼ Definition of pontic
◼ Pontic design
◼ Requirements of pontics
◼ Functions of pontics
◼ Pontic Classification
◼ Pontic selection
◼ Post insertion hygiene
Definition of pontic
 Definition of pontic
◼ An artificial tooth on a FPD that replaces
a missing natural tooth, restores its
function, and apperance.

▪ Acc to tylman –pontic is the suspended

member of a FPD. It replaces the lost
natural tooth, restores function ,and
occupies the space of the missing tooth.
 Pontic design

Biologic

Esthetic Mechanical
Ideal requirements of pontics
Smooth surface
Easily
and convex in
cleansable
all directions

No irritation to
No pressure on
the gingival
the ridge
tissues

Highly polished
Facilitate plaque
metal or glazed
control
porcelain
Ideal requirements of pontics

Shaped to look Appears to grow

like tooth it out of edentulous
replaces. ridge.

Sufficient space Color stable.

for porcelain
Ideal requirements of pontics

Strength and Rigid connectors

longevity to resist fracture

Metal-ceramic
framework to
resist porcelain
fracture
Ideal requirements of pontics
 Functions of pontics

Mastication
Speech
Esthetic
Maintenance of tooth relationship
Maintenance of tooth relationship

tooth loss

teeth movement

occlusal interferences

excessive tooth mobility or

TMJ disturbances
Maintenance of tooth relationship
Maintenance of tooth relationship
 Pontic classification

According to material
❑ Metal
❑ Metal ceramic
❑ All ceramic
❑ Fiber reinforced all resin
 Pontic classification
According to material
AVAILABLE ADVANTAGE DISADVANTAGE INDICATION CONTRAIND
PONTIC S S S ICATIONS
SYSTEMS
METAL- ESTHETIC • DIFFICULT WHEN MOST SITUATIONS LONG SPANS WITH
BIOCOMPATIBLE RETAINER IS NOT HIGH STRESS
CERAMIC METAL-CERAMIC
• WEAKER THAN ALL
METAL

ALL METAL • STRENGTH NONESTHETIC MANDIBULAR WHERE ESTHETICS

• STRAIGHT MOLARS IS IMPORTANT
FORWARD ESPECIALLY UNDER
PROCEDURE HIGH BITE FORCE

All- BEST ESTHETIC • RISK OF FRACTURE AREAS OF HIGH LONG SPAN WITH
BIOCOMPATIBLE • UNABLE TO BE ESTHETIC CONCERN HIGH STRESS
CERAMIC SECTIONED AND
RECONNECTED
• LARGE CONNECTORE
NEEDED
 Pontic classification
According to relationship to the ridge
❑ A. No mucosal contact
sanitary(hygienic)
modified sanitary

❑ B. Mucosal contact
ridge lap
modified ridge lap
conical
ovate
 Sanitary or hygienic
Design
◼ No contact with residual ridge
◼ Occluso gingival thickness greater than 3mm
◼ Adequate space for cleansing
◼ Two configurations
1. Fish belly design
2. Arc shaped pontic, modified sanitary pontic
Advantages
◼ Good access for oral hygiene
◼ Least tissue inflammation
Disadvantages
◼ Poor aesthetics
Recommended location
◼ Non appearance zone
Contraindications
◼ Appearance zone
◼ Less vertical dimension
Materials
◼ All metal
Saddle or ridge lap pontics
◼ Design-
Replaces all contours of a missing
tooth
Concave contacting surface
Ridge lap

◼ Advantages
esthetics

◼ Disadvantages
difficult to clean
may cause tissue
inflammation
Saddle or ridge lap pontics
 Modified ridge lap
◼ Design
Combined features of saddle
and hygienic pontics
Ridge lap –modified
no concavity
tissue contact resembles
letter “T”

◼ Advantages
Good esthetics
Possible to maintain
hygiene
◼ Disadvantages
hygiene is inferior to sanitary

◼ Recommended location
appearance zone

◼ Contraindications
where esthetics is least concerned

◼ Materials
metal cermic, all-ceramic, and all resin
 Conical pontic
◼ Design
Convex as possible
Only one point of contact at the
center of the ridge.
Preferred with knife edged ridge
◼ Other names
egg-shaped, bullet, heart
shaped

◼ Advantages
Oral hygiene
◼ Disadvantages
Poor esthetics
Recommended location
◼ Molars with out esthetic requirement
Contraindications
◼ Esthetic zone
◼ Patients with poor oral hygiene
Materials
◼ All-metal
◼ Metal-ceramic
◼ All resin
 Ovate pontic
◼ Most esthetically appealing design
Design
◼ Convex tissue surface of pontic
resides with in the ridge.

◼ Treatment planning
◼ Preparation of ridge during extraction.
◼ Preparing the preexisting residual ridge.

Advantages
◼ Esthetics
◼ Stronger than modified ridge lap
Disadvantages
◼ surgical preparation
◼ meticulous oral hygiene

Recommended location
◼ Maxillary incisors, cuspids and premolars

Contraindication
Patients unwillingness for surgery

Materials
Metal-ceramic
All-resin
All-ceramic
PONTIC DESIGN ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES

SANITARY/HYGIENIC Good access for oral Poor esthetics

hygiene

SADDLE-RIDGE-LAP esthetic Not amenable to oral

hygiene
CONICAL Good access for oral Poor esthetics
hygiene

MODIFIED RIDGE-LAP Good esthetics Moderately easy to clean

OVATE Superior esthetics Requires surgical

Ease of cleaning preparation.
Not for residual ridge
defects
PONTIC DESIGN INDICATIONS CONTRAINDICATIONS

SANITARY/HYGIENIC Non esthetic zones Where esthetics is essential

Impaired oral hygiene Less vertical dimension

SADDLE-RIDGE-LAP ------------------------------- --------------------------------

CONICAL Posterior areas where Poor oral hygiene

esthetic is minimal
consideration

MODIFIED RIDGE-LAP Most areas with esthetic Where minimal esthetic

consideration consideration exists

OVATE Desire for optimal Unwillingness for surgery

esthetics Residual ridge defects
High smile line
 Pontic selection
◼ Retainers
◼ Esthetics

◼ Occluso-gingival height
 Post insertion hygiene
◼ Embrasures-wide

◼ Education and
motivation of the patient

◼ Aids for maintaining the

hygiene
◼ Dental floss
◼ Interproximal brushes
◼ Super floss
Case presentation1
Case presentation1
Case presentation 1
Case presentation 2
Case presentation 2
Case presentation 2
Contemporary Fixed Prosthodontics,
Rosentiel S.F and Land M.F, 5thEd.
Mosby (2016) chapter: 20, Page: 546-
575
Thank You