Pontic : It is a part of fixed partial denture which replaces the missed natural tooth or teeth that is designed to restore the function and esthetics.
There are different design types of pontics that is use to build the dental bridges.
Pontics can be classified according to ridge relation, method of fabrication and material used in the construction.
Pontic with mucosal contact
- Ridge lap
- Modified ridge lap
- conical
- ovate
Pontic without mucosal contact
- Sanitary (Hygienic)
- Modified sanitary
1- Ridge lap or saddle pontic
These type of pontics make concave contact with the alveolar ridge, It overlaps the buccal and lingual/palatal surface of ridge.
Ridge lap pontics are indicated when high esthetic demands are mandatory, they are rarely used.
They are more aesthetic as that design simulates the adjacent natural tooth.
From the disadvantages of Ridge lap pontics is difficulty in maintaining and cleaning the gingival part of pontic by the patient.
2- Modified ridge lap pontic
These type of pontics make contact with buccal or labial surface of alveolar ridge only and do not contact lingual side of ridge.
Modified ridge lap pontics are also indicated in high esthetic areas as for the anterior teeth.
Advantage of these pontics, they are highly esthetic and easily to be cleaned by the patient as they aren't in contact lingually with ridge but they are not as sanitary pontic type.
3- Ovate pontic
Ovate pontics are the most esthetic design of the 6 types, they have convex surface toward the ridge so they appears as if they are emerging from the residual ridge.
The convex surface is placed in concavity present in the ridge, the concavity is created immediately after the extraction by placing proper provisional restoration.
They are indicated in anterior region for replacement of anterior teeth also they can be used after immediate extraction in fresh socket.
4- Conical pontic
Conical pontics contact the residual ridge in a single point, Also known as egg shaped pontic.
They are indicated when esthetics isn't important as in posterior areas as molars also can be used in knife edge ridges posteriorly.
Conical pontics can be cleaned easily by the patient but they have very poor esthetics.
5- Sanitary pontic (Conventional)
Also known as hygienic pontic, Sanitary pontics are not touching the residual ridges .
Hygienic pontics are indicated in non esthetic areas and also in areas where there is increased chances of food impaction.
Sanitary pontics provide better accessibility to oral hygiene measures, they can be cleaned easily by the patient as there is not pontic-ridge contact, but they have very poor esthetics.
6- Modified sanitary pontic
It is alternative design to conventional sanitary, which have concavity mesio-distally and convexity bucco-lingually in the undersurface.
That pontic design provides more cleaning and maintenance by the patient also It increases the strength of the connectors.
Comments
Post a Comment