A review of selected dental literature on contemporary provisional fixed prosthodontic treatment: report of the Committee on Research in Fixed Prosthodontics of the Academy of Fixed Prosthodontics.

One goal of the American Academy of Fixed Prosthodontics is regularly to publish comprehensive literature reviews on selected topics germane to the discipline of fixed prosthodontics. The following report is the result of this goal and focuses on provisional fixed prosthodontic treatment. Major subtopics include materials science and clinical considerations involving natural teeth and dental implants. The interrelationship between provisional and definitive fixed prosthodontic treatment is multifaceted and significant. Provisional therapy involves numerous materials and techniques that require special knowledge and technical experience. In this analysis, technical, clinical, and investigational articles are detailed and presented as a comprehensive literature review to provide contemporary guidelines. Referenced publications were found by conducting a Medline search and were limited to peer-reviewed, English-language articles published from 1970 to the present. Materials used with provisional treatment are discussed in terms of clinical selection and the influence of their physical properties on treatment outcome. Specific product names and manufacturers are included in this report only when they are cited in the original referenced publications.