Replacement of missing mandibular lateral incisors with a single pontic all-ceramic prosthesis: a case report

The conventional approach for replacing congenitally missing mandibular lateral incisors dictates the placement of either a conventional porcelain-fused-to-metal (PFM) bridge, Maryland bridge, or fiber-reinforced composite veneer bridge. However, several appearance-related disadvantages have been reported in the use of a prosthesis which incorporates a metal substructure. To address these limitations, metal-free restorative alternatives have been recently developed to expand the clinical options when fabrication of these prostheses is indicated. The learning objective of this article is to present the utilization of a single pontic all-ceramic resin-bonded bridge to replace congenitally missing mandibular lateral incisors, where the existing mesiodistal spaces were narrow and the abutment teeth exhibited insufficient substance for the conventional treatment modality.