Current theories of crown contour, margin placement, and pontic design.

Crown contours which promote favorable tissue response follow these guidelines: (1) buccal and lingual contours are flat; (2) embrasure spaces should be open; (3) contacts should be high (incisal one third) and buccal to the central fossa (except between first and second molars); and (4) furcations should be "fluted" or barreled out." Margins should be supragingival where possible. The pontic design of choice is the modified ridge lap for posterior spaces and the ridge-lap facing for anterior spaces.