In dentistry, a "pontic" is an artificial tooth fixed to a dental bridge. Because it relies on an abutment for its stability, the pontic is constructed as a single prosthetic and appears as though it is a natural tooth protruding from the gums.
In this dental procedure code, the pontic is made entirely of either porcelain or ceramic. A pontic constructed of either of these materials yields positive cosmetic results, with porcelain creating a more natural look than the "heavier" look of full ceramic. For this reason, an all porcelain pontic is typically used to repair decay on teeth within the "smile-zone," whereas a fully ceramic one is most often used in the rear of the mouth.
An alternative to this type of pontic would be one with porcelain fused to high noble metal, which provides excellent cosmetic results, in addition to the durability that stems from the underlying metals. Such a pontic would draw at least 60% of its composition from the noble metals gold, platinum, palladium, and silver. Of that 60%, at least 40% would need to be gold in order to earn this distinction from the American Dental Association.
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