Cantilever fixed partial denture--a literature review.

In light of the increasing demand for fixed prosthetics by today's patients, the author felt the time was right for a review of an area of fixed prosthetics that is neither well understood nor well accepted. The cantilever fixed partial denture (FPD) requires more time to treatment plan and place than other comparable fixed prosthetics. However, if the necessary criteria are met, the final results can be very rewarding for the practitioner and the patient from both an esthetic and a functional standpoint. This article discusses various factors that impact on the practitioner's ability to place a cantilever FPD with the expectation of long-term success, as well as other related areas of treatment planning.