Using a fiber-reinforced composite fixed partial denture to restore a missing posterior tooth: a case report.

With the advent of new adhesive technologies, fiber-reinforced composite fixed partial dentures (FRC-FPDs) have become an inexpensive, esthetic and useful restorative option for patients missing a single tooth. This article describes a case involving an inlay-retained FRC-FPD with a prefabricated fiber-reinforced pontic substructure. In addition, a 6-year follow-up is presented. The FRC-FPD fully restored the single missing molar with simple and conservative intracoronal preparations in the proximal teeth and was deemed clinically acceptable after the evaluation period. The clinical procedures to build a FRC-FPD with a prefabricated fiber-reinforced pontic substructure typically are finished by the clinician in 1 or 2 visits without laboratory assistance, making it a viable alternative for patients who cannot afford implant-based treatment or a conventional metal-ceramic FPD.