Dr. Gianluca Paniz compares vertical and horizontal tooth preparation for fixed prosthodontics, examining the rationale, technique and clinical outcomes associated with each approach.
Vertical Vs Horizontal Tooth Preparation examines two fundamentally different approaches to preparing teeth for crowns and fixed dental prostheses. Horizontal preparation, using a defined shoulder or chamfer finish line, has long been the conventional standard, while vertical preparation, which relies on a featheredge or knife-edge margin without a defined horizontal finish line, has gained renewed attention as an alternative suited to certain clinical situations, particularly where periodontal biotype and biologic width are a concern.
The course compares the two techniques across several practical dimensions, including margin visibility and impression accuracy, respect for the biologic width and periodontal tissues, cementation space and fit of the final restoration, and the clinical situations in which each approach is best indicated. Digital workflow considerations and provisionalization strategies for each technique are also discussed.
Dr. Paniz is an Italian prosthodontist with clinical training from Tufts University School of Dental Medicine.
