Prefabricated Hollow Ponitcs

[normanmilquetoast]

Has anyone used prefab'd hollow ponitcs for fixed PFM bridge work?
It's supposed to reduce alloy cost and minimize porcelain checking.

 

[kcdt]

I have. The trick is to fill them in with a 50-50 mix of body and opaque. Use a vibrating tool and be thorough with several bakes. I know technicians that complain that they have had these explode, but it is the result of failing to fill correctly and having the void produce an air bubble that grows when the vacuum pulls.
If you take the time to do it right, they work great.

 

[CatamountRob]

We used to use Ivoclars R.P.S. pontics and I loved them (maybe it was still Williams then),they had a "fill opaque" material to fill the voids. I'm not sure what would happen if you tried to mix paste opaque and porcelain to fill with. If you don't fill them with a fairly opaque material, you will see a gray area through the porcelain where the holes are. Anyway Ivoclar discontinued them and I've never seen anyone's that I like as well. I think Bredent and ADS both sell them them. Rob

 

[kcdt]

I got mine from warp nine ( i don't even know if they're still available). I used powder opaque and body, so it was easy. Great way to save weight.

 

[crivasCDT]

Bredent Hollow Pontic blocks
XPdent - Hollow Pontic Blocks HP-BL

Or...XPdent Slimline Ponitc blocks which are designed to use as much alloy as a hollow pontic.
XPdent - Slimline Pontic Blocks