Comparison of horizontal and vertical methods of tooth preparation for a prosthetic crown

Abstract

The application of magnifying devices, such as magnifiers, microscopes, precision drills, intraoral scanners, printed models, milled, and monolithic restorations, increases the precision of the preparation, accuracy of workmanship and marginal tightness, ultimately providing a very high level of quality of prosthetic restoration. The article compares the pros and cons of several types of tooth preparations for different kinds of crowns, including the modern concept of verti prep (vertical preparation). Tooth preparation for a prosthetic crown is always invasive in character and leads to irreversible loss of tooth hard tissues. In the case of tooth preparation with vital dental pulp there is a risk of its irritation, inflammation, necrosis, and endodontic treatment in the future. A variety of attempts have been made in dental prosthetics to develop the best method of tooth preparation, which – on the one hand – would ensure adequate marginal fit, emergency profile, and at the same time, would lead to the least loss of enamel and dentine ithe preparation process. Current research has confirmed, that there is no single universal and recommended in all cases type of tooth preparation for a prosthetic crown. The choice of a finish line depends on a number of factors, such as pulp vitality, location of the tooth, its inclination, type of material from which a restoration will be manufactured, crown convexity, patient’s age and the size of such a construction. It should be emphasized at the same time that in some clinical situations, the decision on the type of preparation and/or reconstruction to be made is taken intra-procedurally.

Keywords

• dentistry
• crowns
• prosthetics
• marginal fit
• finish line
• bopt
• fixed restorations
• verti prep