CANTILEVER DENTAL BRIDGE ‫حيدر حسين عليوي‬

Cantilever bridges are dental bridges that are designed when abutment teeth are prepared on only one
side of the missing toothless gap. In such cases, the pontic is located outside the abutment teeth.
When can such circumstances occur?
• when, for aesthetic reasons, it is not desirable to prepare teeth on both sides of the breach
• when no teeth exist on one side of the breach
• when the eligible abutment teeth on one of the sides is already supporting another prosthetic restoration that,
for various reasons, cannot be replaced
Cantilever bridges involve increasing of the axis forces that will act on the abutment teeth. Therefore,
cantilever bridges should be carefully planned; otherwise, there is the risk of jeopardizing abutment teeth
stability.

There are two types of cantilever bridges:

1- Cantilever bridge with the pontic placed towards the front of the mouth
This means that the gap is located in front (or anterior) of the abutment teeth. It is the favorable situation
from the two because chewing pressures decrease as we advance towards the front of the mouth.
However, chewing forces are still acting outside the axis of the bridge, hence putting additional pressures on the
abutment teeth. Therefore, the design should follow certain rules:
o The pontic should only have a single artificial tooth (only one tooth should be replaced)
o The prudent approach is to design a cantilever bridge when the missing tooth is either a premolar or a lateral
incisor and only in limited situations if other teeth are missing.
o Generally, at least two abutments are needed to support the bridge (although there are some exceptions if
the abutment tooth is a strong canine or molar).
o If we need to replace a premolar or molar, we must take into consideration that chewing pressures are higher
on the lower arch.
Indications
1- When, for aesthetic reasons, it is not desirable to prepare a tooth located in a visible part
2- When the anterior abutment tooth is already sustaining another prosthetic restoration that, for various reasons,
cannot be replaced.
2- Cantilever bridge with the pontic placed towards the back of the mouth
The toothless gap is located behind (or posterior) the abutment teeth. The chewing forces are much higher in the back
part of the mouth. Consequently, the chewing forces that act on the abutment teeth, besides being of the axis, are also
extremely high.
After a shorter or longer period of time, abutment teeth may become loose which may jeopardize the entire restoration.
Indications
There are few situations when these types of restorations may be indicated:
o temporary restorations
o if back teeth are missing and patients do not want (or cannot afford) more expensive restorations: removable
dentures, dental implants
The lifespan and prognosis of these restorations are usually very short. With the development of dental implants, such
solutions are rarely used.