Chairside posterior cantilevered fixed partial denture: Case report

The cantilevered fixed partial denture (CFPD) is gaining recognition as a sound method of replacing missing teeth in the posterior sector. The purpose of this case report is to demonstrate that this type of restoration can be performed in a single appointment. A 39-year-old patient presented herself to the dental department; she showed agenesis of the two first maxillary premolars with a totally closed mesio-distal gap and a recent loss of the 2 s maxillary premolars. This case report concerns the replacement of the upper left second premolar. The patient was treated with a mesial CFPD resting on an "onlay-like" retainer on the first molar and replacing the missing premolar with a cantilevered pontic. The dimensions of the connection's cross-section were maximized as much as possible (>20 mm²). The restoration was designed and produced using chairside CAD-CAM from a milled-reinforced glass-ceramic block (Emax CAD, Ivoclar Vivadent). The aesthetic and functional integration of the prosthesis was successful. The patient was examined at 11 months for a follow-up. At this early stage, satisfactory dental hygiene was observed, associated with a smooth prosthetic fit, no periodontal inflammation, normal probing, and no abnormal dental mobility.