Single-tooth replacement with a chairside prefabricated fiber-reinforced resin composite bridge: a case study

There are many fixed options for replacing a single anterior tooth, including implants; conventional full coverage; porcelain-fused-to-metal, all-ceramic, and fiber-reinforced composite designs; and minimal preparation designs that utilize lingual wing frameworks made from metal, ceramic, or fiber-reinforced composite. All of these approaches require at least two visits; however, it is possible to replace a missing anterior tooth in a single visit by using adhesive techniques with resin composite and fiber-reinforced resin composite materials. This approach has been developed and refined with a bridge created at chairside, using a prefabricated fiber-reinforced composite framework. This framework consists of a pontic substructure that is shaped to support a resin composite pontic, with one or two wings used to attach the pontic substructure to either the lingual or facial surfaces of the abutment teeth. This article describes a chairside technique for replacing a maxillary central incisor by using a prefabricated fiber-reinforced framework.