Dental restorative structures

A dental restoration comprising an anterior pontic having a porcelain superstructure surrounding a metal framework composed of an integral assembly of metal members in an arrangement including a first section for forming a concave area relative to the incisal edge of said pontic and a second section including a plurality of said metal members interconnected in the form of an open truss extending gingivally from said first section with porcelain disposed about, between and below the members in said second section.

A dental coping for forming the metal framework of a pontic in a dental restoration comprising an integral assembly of members interconnected in an open structural arrangement forming a truss with each member composed of a material selected from the class consisting of wax or plastic.

A dental restoration comprising the clinical crown of a tooth having a substructure of metal enclosed within a superstructure of porcelain with said metal substructure having a depending portion forming a partial enclosure with an anterior geometry conforming in shape to the prepared tooth and an ascending portion surrounding said depending portion and extending from said depending portion toward the occlusal surface of the restoration to form a substantially annular concavity relative to such occlusal surface.