Resin-retained bridges as predictable and successful restorations.

Resin-retained bridges have been used clinically since the 1970s and offer a more conservative approach to the restoration of edentulous spaces than conventional bridgework. They are easy to place, cheap to fabricate, and have been shown to be cost-effective. Despite this, they are not frequently used in general dental practice and have an exaggerated reputation for premature failure. Since their initial introduction, they have undergone a number of changes to their method of retention and the materials used in their construction. This has resulted in a predictable, aesthetic restoration which, second only to restoration with dental implants, is often the treatment of choice when teeth adjacent to an edentulous space are minimally or not restored.