A pontic is attached to a retainer by a connector. Connectors can be rigid or nonrigid. Nonrigid connectors take the form of male- and female-locking arrangements. Rigid connectors are classified as either cast or soldered.
A number of teth can share a load being placed on one of them. This helps prolong the life of loose teeth or those that have lost supporting bone. Stabilizing a mobile tooth or teeth is called
splinting. When stabilizing adjacent teeth with connected castings that are cemented in the mouth, the prosthesis becomes a form of
fixed splinting. Such splints are made in the same fashion as an FPD.
This type of fixed prosthesis is made of a single pontic and thin metal retainers located both proximally and lingually on the abutment teeth. The retainers are specially designed metal-extensions (wings). The FPD is retained by a resin bond between the acid etched abutment teeth and the metal surface of the retainer. A missing left central incisor is illustrated in A of figure 8-6. A fabricated Maryland bridge is illustrated in B of figure 8-6. The bridge in place from the lingual aspect is illustrated in C of figure 8-6. A posterior resin-bonded FPD is shown in figure 8-7.
This is a rigid, temporary restoration that replaces missing teeth and is generally made from a self-cutting resin. Its purpose is to protect cut tooth surfaces and hold the abutment teeth in position while the definitive FPD is being fabricated in the dental laboratory.
Figure 8-6. - Anterior resin-bonded FPD (Maryland bridge).
Figure 8-7. - Posterior resin-bonded FPD (Maryland bridge).
The three basic types of removable prosthetic prostheses are complete dentures, removable partial dentures, and overdentures. There are variations of each of these types. 8-4