Clinical and laboratory parameters in fixed prosthodontic treatment

Prosthodontic treatment demands competence from each member of the professional team; this includes the staff of the dental office and the dental laboratory. Members of the dental team should understand their responsibility to each other and their patients to ensure optimal prosthodontic care. Knowledge of individual limitations are critical, as are two specific attributes of technical success, quality and communication. The dentist and dental technician should provide services in concert, practice mutual respect, and encourage each other to critique results. Successful prosthodontic treatment also represents a collaborative effort between the patient and attending dentist. Because specific limitations exist with various treatment options, patients need to make decisions concerning their treatment on the basis of detailed informed consent comprehensively presented by the dentist. This article illustrates examples of fixed prosthodontic treatments and demonstrates collaborative, professional responsibilities of the dentist and dental laboratory technicians.