Chairside replacement of posterior teeth using a prefabricated fiber-reinforced resin composite framework technique: a case report.

UNLABELLED: The fixed replacement of a single posterior missing tooth for those patients who cannot have either implants or conventional laboratory-generated fixed prostheses has always been a challenge to clinicians. The development of fiber-reinforced composites (FRCs) has opened up new possibilities of chairside treatment options to manage these types of clinical situations. Techniques using FRCs as frameworks with traditional restorative resin composites as veneering materials can provide chairside fixed prostheses that are esthetic and potentially durable, with minimal abutment tooth loss. A clinical case is presented that will illustrate a novel concept for tooth replacement--the use of an FRC prefabricated framework--to allow for a single visit, chairside replacement of a missing molar. The assembly of the framework and the clinical steps used in the framework placement and pontic fabrication are shown in detail. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: The combination of FRC technology and adhesive techniques can provide minimally invasive and cost-effective treatment options for the chairside replacement of missing posterior teeth.