Minimally invasive treatment options in fixed prosthodontics

Minimally invasive treatment options have become increasingly feasible in restorative dentistry, due to the introduction of the adhesive technique in combination with restorative materials featuring translucent properties similar to those of natural teeth. Mechanical anchoring of restorations via conventional cementation represents a predominantly subtractive treatment approach that is gradually being superseded by a primarily defect-oriented additive method in prosthodontics. Modifications of conventional treatment procedures have led to the development of an economical approach to the removal of healthy tooth structure. This is possible because the planned treatment outcome is defined in a wax-up before the treatment is commenced and this wax-up is subsequently used as a reference during tooth preparation. Similarly, resin- bonded FDPs and implants have made it possible to preserve the natural tooth structure of potential abutment teeth. This report describes a number of clinical cases to demonstrate the principles of modern prosthetic treatment strategies and discusses these approaches in the context of minimally invasive prosthetic dentistry.