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ABSTRACT:
Replacing a missing maxillary lateral incisor with a fixed partial denture that requires preparing of a health central incisor and a canine is a tough decision that many prosthodontists fear. Spring cantilever designs offer a viable solution to rehabilitate such situations provided occlusal conditions are favorable. A male patient working as a police officer reported for replacing a missing lateral incisor and demanded to incorporate a previously present diastema within the prosthesis. Extra and intra oral examination were non-contributory. Occlusal scheme was favorable. A spring cantilever design using maxillary canine as an abutment was designed to retain a missing maxillary lateral incisor using a blend between a loop connector and a spring cantilever design for the connector. The partial denture was cemented and provided highly pleasing results to the patient.
Keywords: cantilever, fixed partial denture, metal, ceramic, canine protected occlusion.
INTRODUCTION
The term ceramo - metal (metal ceramic) has been synonymous to the field of fixed partial denture prosthodontics since its inception in the respective field in the year 1970. 1 One of the difficult decisions to make in fixed partial denture rehabilitation is to replace a missing lateral incisor at the expense of preparing a central incisor and a canine. Definitely, no one will agree that the preservation of oral structure is achieved by such treatment options. Another frequently encountered clinical situation is the occurrence of a diastema and its replication within a fixed partial denture. Diastema is a space or a gap between two natural teeth. 2 In lower animals, the presence of space is compulsory for normal masticatory function. However, for humans, a diastema is considered by many to affect the appearance of the individual while there are rare individuals who demand diastema to be incorporated in their artificial prosthesis. For a single missing tooth an implant supported crown is the most conservative option but for those who cannot afford or undergo implant treatment, conventional removable partial denture or fixed partial denture (FPD) is always a treatment option.
When FPD is planned, the spring FPD, which is essentially a type of a cantilever FPD is used especially to replace maxillary lateral incisors using the canine as a single abutment. 3,4 the term cantilever implements a pontic that is supported at...