Dealing with fractured ceramic on zirconia bridges!

We have all seen it: we finish a case that we like, we pat ourselves on the back and send the patient home. At a later date we get the call: “my front tooth chipped”. As we look at the situation we see that the chip is on an abutment in a zirconia bridge, if we want to replace the bridge, we will have to cut off three or more units and redo them.

Here is one solution that I recently used on a case with Dr. Frankie Shull.  He cut a thin preparation in the facial of the layering ceramic, avoiding the zirconia itself.

I was able to wax and press a thin e.max lithium disilicate veneer to recreate the initial shape and form of the tooth. Frankie placed a rubber dam, etched the surface of the preparation, then bonded the lithium disilicate restoration over the zirconia bridge.

The result is a stronger incisal third that is less likely to fracture in the future, and this was accomplished without the trauma of removing a multiunit bridge.