[Technical aspects of treatments with single- and multi-unit fixed dental prostheses]

For the manufacture of single- and multi-unit fixed dental prostheses, effective communication between dentist and dental technician is required. Mutual insight concerning the (im)possibilities of available treatments and technical options is prerequisitefor this communication. The manufacture of single- and multi-unit fixed dental prostheses involves 4 phases: recording the required detailed information on the relevant teeth and the occlusal system, the technical adjustments, the technical design and the technical fabrication. These phases can be accomplished through an analogue or (semi)digital procedure. Pioneering developments are computer aided design and computer aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM), and computerised milling machines. Associated with this are 3 manufacturing methods which can be distinguished: the dental practice method, the dental laboratory method and the milling centre method. Materials applied are metal alloys and ceramics, while resins are used for provisional and transitional constructions. Due to the fact that the choice of material in the analogue procedure is limited, CAD/CAM offers more options, the digital procedure is expected to gain ground gradually. It is expected that this development will provide an impulse to higher quality