Crown & Bridgework Preparation

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PFM Bridge close up image
These are the suggested ways for prepping a tooth for a veneer, crown cutting and other restorations.

Reduction
Finish Line Depth & Configuration
Anterior Crowns
All-Ceramic
(veneered or monolithic)
IPS e.max® or IPS Empress Esthetic®
2.0mm incisally
1.0mm buccal/lingual
0.8-1.0mm shoulder
Porcelain-fused-to-zirconia
2.0mm incisally
0.6-1.0mm lingual aspect
(Porcelain guidance requires greater clearance)
>0.4mm chamfer lingually
>1.0mm labial
Metal-ceramic
(Porcelain-fused-to-metal)
2.0mm incisally
0.5-1.0mm lingual aspect
(Porcelain guidance requires greater clearance)
1.5mm labial shoulder or heavy chamfer
0.5mm lingual chamfer
1.5mm circumferentially for 360-degree ceramic margin
Posterior Crowns
Full contour crowns
(metal or zirconia)
1.0mm non-functional cusps
1.5mm functional cusps
0.3-0.5mm shoulder or heavy chamfer
All-Ceramic
(veneered or monolithic)
IPS e.max® or
IPS Empress Esthetic®
Porcelain-fused-to-zirconia
2.0mm non-functional cusps
2.5mm functional cusps
1.0mm shoulder or heavy chamfer
Metal-ceramic
(Porcelain-fused-to-metal)
If metal occlusal, as with FMC
2.0mm non-functional cusps
2.5mm functional cusps
1.5mm labial shoulder or chamfer
0.5mm lingual chamfer (metal collar)
1.5mm circumferentially for 360-degree ceramic margin
Suggested burs for full metal crown / PFM / all-ceramic crowns preparation

Restoration

Preparation Area
Bur
Full Metal CrownOcclusal reduction and functional cusp bevelCoarse grit round end tapered diamond
Proximal axial reductionMedium grit short needle diamond and
coarse grit round end tapered diamond
Buccal and lingual axial reductionCoarse grit tapered torpedo diamond
Chamfer and axial finish lineFine grit tapered torpedo diamond
PFM AnteriorIncisal and labial reductionCoarse grit flat-end tapered diamond
Lingual reductionCoarse grit football-shaped diamond
Initial proximal reductionMedium-grit long needle diamond
Lingual axial reductionCoarse grit tapered torpedo diamond and
finish with Fine grit tapered torpedo diamond
PFM PosteriorOcclusal reduction and functional cusp bevelCoarse grit round end tapered diamond
Buccal reduction (2 planes)Coarse grit flat-end tapered diamond
Proximal axial reductionMedium grit short needle diamond
Lingual and axial reductionCoarse grit tapered torpedo and
fine grit tapered torpedo diamond
Buccal, axial and shoulder finishingFine grit flat-end tapered diamond
All-CeramicIncisal and labial reduction (2 planes)Coarse grit flat-end tapered diamond
Lingual and axial reductionCoarse grit flat-end tapered diamond
Lingual reductionCoarse grit football-shaped diamond
Axial wall andradial shoulderFine grit flat-end tapered diamond