Fixed prosthodontics is the branch of prosthodontics concerned with the replacement and/or restoration of teeth by artificial substitutes that are not readily removed from the mouth.

Losing one or more teeth leads to a series of problems, such as:

• Bone loss.
• Antagonist tooth over-eruption.
• Axial inclination, mesial tipping or protrusion of the adjacent teeth.
• Chewing difficulties.
• Difficulties when tooth brushing.
• Possible temporomandibular joint (TMJ) pains.
• Speech difficulties.
• Aesthetic problems.

Fixed prosthodontics include dental crown, which is a tooth-shaped restoration that caps or encircles the damaged tooth and dental bridge, which is a fixed restoration based on existent teeth that are used as abutments replacing the missing teeth with a pontic.

A “pontic” is an artificial tooth on a fixed dental prosthesis that replaces a missing natural tooth, restores its function and usually fills the space previously occupied by the clinical crown.