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1. Saddle Pontic/Ridge lap pontic
Description: A pontic with a concave gingival surface that overlaps
the ridge buccally and lingually.
Contact: Only the buccal and lingual ends contact the tissue. Looks
very aesthetic.
Maintenance: Difficult to maintain, special flossing instructions
needed.
Acceptance: Not recommended nowadays due to maintenance
challenges.
3. Modified Ridge Lap Pontic
Description: Evolved from saddle pontics to reduce tissue contact.
Only buccal contact is given.
Contact: Limited to the buccal surface of the ridge crest. T-Shaped
contact seen gingivally
Design: Slight buccolingual concavity; convex mesiodistal surface to
avoid food entrapment.
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Maintenance: Easier than ridge lap, but still requires careful
cleaning.
Recommendations- Maxillary and mandibular anterior teeth,
Maxillary posterior teeth.
4. Ovate Pontic
Description: Used for defective or incompletely healed ridges.
Contact: Extends into the defect of the edentulous ridge.
Aesthetics: More aesthetic, appears to arise from the ridge like a
natural tooth.
Maintenance: Should be reduced as healing progresses.
Modified Ovate Pontic
apex positioned more facially
Indications- when Horizontal width is not sufficient.
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Types-
Root form
Restored portion of root
Natural tooth pontic
Uses crown of extracted teeth
Lanceberg pontic
has a broad base profile for excellent emergence profile.
5. Bullet-Shaped (Conical,egg shaped, Heart-Shaped, Dome) Pontic
Description: Convex tissue surface contacting the tissue at one
single point without pressure.
Maintenance: Easy to clean.
Aesthetics: Poor aesthetics, wide embrasures.
Indication: Knife edge ridges - Molar replacement. Never given in
broad residual ridges as it may cause food entrapement.
Without mucosal contact
7. Sanitary (Hygienic, Wash-through) Pontics
Description: No tissue contact, easy to maintain.
Occlusogingival height of the pontic should be more than 3mm and
should have adequate space for cleaning (2mm)
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Aesthetics: Highly unaesthetic, used only mandubular for posterior
teeth.
Design employed while fabricating
Bar Sanitary Pontics: Flat gingival surface with sufficient
clearance.
Conventional Sanitary Pontic: Convex gingival surface
resembling a fish belly. Cleaning is difficult.
Modified Sanitary Pontic: Also known as Perel pontic. Concave
mesiodistally and convex buccolingually.
Classification Based on Material
1. Metal-Ceramic Pontics
Advantages: Aesthetic, biocompatible, straightforward procedure.
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Disadvantages: Difficult to fabricate if the abutment is not metal
ceramic.
Indication: Most situations.
Contraindication: Long span bridges.
2. Resin-Veneered Pontics
Advantages: Straightforward procedure, conventional gold alloy
substructure.
Disadvantages: Lesser strength, poor abrasion resistance, staining,
permeable to oral fluids, unaesthetic.
Indication: Long-term provisional restoration.
Contraindication: Definitive restorations.
3. All-Metal Pontics
Advantages: Strength, single-step procedure.
Disadvantages: Permeable to oral fluids, poor aesthetics.
Indications: Mandibular molars, especially under high stress, bruxism.
Contraindications: Aesthetically important areas.
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4. All-Ceramic Pontics
Advantages: High degree of aesthetics, biocompatible, impervious to
oral fluids., no discolouration with use.
Disadvantages: Poor strength, more incidence of debonding, requires
expensive luting agents.
Indications: Anterior teeth replacement, short span bridges.
Contraindications: Molar teeth replacement, areas of high stress, long
span bridges.
Classification Based on Method of Fabrication
1. Custom-made Pontics
Description: Fabricated individually for the patient.
Procedure: A wax pattern is prepared and cast to make the pontic.
Advantages: Superior aesthetics and flexibility.
Disadvantages: Tedious fabrication procedure.
2. Prefabricated Pontic Facings
Description: Commercially available as porcelain pontics.
Procedure: Adjusted according to individual requirements and finally
reglazed and fitted to a metal backing.
Common Types:
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Trupontic: Large gingival bulk, horizontal tubular slot for retention.
Interchangeable Facing: Vertical slot in flat lingual surface, retained
by a backing with a lug.
Sanitary Facings: Resemble sanitary pontics with slots on proximal
surfaces.
Pin Facing: Flat lingual surface with two pins for retention.
Modified Pin Facing: Additional porcelain on gingival portion.
Reverse Pin Facing: Customized porcelain denture teeth with pins.
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Harmony Facing: Flat lingual surface with two retentive pins.
Porcelain Fused to Metal Facing: Metal core with fused porcelain for
natural contours.
Pontips: Convex gingival surface for pinpoint tissue contact.
Pontic Modification
In cases of heavily resorbed ridges, large embrasures can be filled with pink
porcelain to improve aesthetics and reduce plaque accumulation. Another
method is the Andrew's bridge system for highly resorbed ridges. The design
of the pontic is crucial for the success of the restoration, combining ease of
maintenance, natural appearance, and mechanical strength.
Special Pontics
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1. Quinn's Pontic
Introduced: 1958
Design: Two-piece pontic system
Components:
Lower/inner core made of permanent gingival porcelain with a stump
Upper core like a tube tooth that can be cemented during insertion
Advantage: Allows for easy replacement of the tooth part.
2. Arthur Lowery Pontic
Design: Two-piece pontic with a porcelain top and metal bottom
Joint Design: Key and keyway running horizontally
Advantages:
Avoids thin porcelain margins
Improves structural durability
Small tissue contact in the gingival portion.
3. Preformed Pontic Pattern
Invented by: Edward and Harry in 1969
Type: Hybrid of prefabricated and custom-made pontics
Material: Plastic patterns that burn out without residue
Advantages:
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Provides the finish of prefabricated pontics
Can be modified for a perfect fit and function.
4. Pontic Clasp
Type: Not a conventional pontic for Fixed Partial Dentures (FPD)
Design: Modified clasp with a small tooth-like shape
Use: Fills small spaces in a Removable Partial Denture (RPD).
5. Aligner Orthodontic Pontic
Introduced by: Tricca, Knopp, and Burns
Type: Used in orthodontics, not in FPD
Design:
Contoured to help with tooth movement in the Invisalign system
Made of special autopolymerizing composite that bonds to Invisalign
appliances
Modification: Can use special silicone (PVS) resin-rubber pontics.
6. Notch Pontic System
Design: Has a lingual slot for a mechanical lock with a dental appliance
Use:
Works with Invisalign appliances
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Suitable for temporary FPDs and fiber-reinforced FPDs to speed up
fabrication.
7. Schwartz Pontic
Similar to: Reverse pin facing pontic
Design: Pins act as large struts for strength
Component: Gingival portion made by the facing, metal backing stops at
the upper half of the tooth.
8. Hidden Attachment Pontics
Design: Customized with an attachment to retain an RPD
Use: Commonly used with various attachment systems.
9. Articulated Pontics
Design: Modified pontics with built-in connectors
Fabrication: Made in two parts that fit together during insertion.
Connectors in Fixed Partial Dentures (FPDs)
A connector in a fixed partial denture (FPD) is the part that joins the retainers
and pontics.
Types of Connectors
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