TAPERED CROSS-PIN ATTACHMENTS FOR FIXED BRIDGES

The design and fabrication of multi-unit fixed prostheses where abutme nt teeth are misaligned have been difficult technical challenges for d entists and dental technicians. There have been a number of methods de veloped to attain a common path of insertion, including modified prepa ration designs, telescopic copings placed on abutments to correct alig nment, adhesively retained bridge frameworks, and mechanical precision attachments between sections of a segmented prosthesis. This paper de scribes a method of fabricating a precision attachment on a segmented prosthesis that can be rigidly fixed after cementation. The technique involves the use of a cast tapered pin to permanently attach the prost hesis segments together. All parts can be fabricated by conventional l ost-wax techniques with a minimum of instrumentation. The technique ha s the added advantage of being reversible should the prosthesis ever n eed to be separated for repair or recementation.