Provisional Restoration
A temporary crown, bridge, or inlay fabricated to protect a prepared tooth and maintain aesthetics and occlusion while a definitive restoration is being constructed.
Full Definition
Provisional restorations serve as functional placeholders between tooth preparation and final restoration delivery, typically fabricated from bis-acryl composite or polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA). In dental materials literature, 'provisional' is the preferred clinical term; 'temporary restoration' is considered informal and may be flagged in formal manuscripts. Editors should also distinguish between 'interim restoration', which may carry a longer-term connotation in complex cases, and 'provisional restoration'. The mechanical and aesthetic properties of provisional materials, including flexural strength and colour stability, are frequently evaluated in research articles.
Usage
Usage note: Prefer 'provisional restoration' in clinical and research writing. 'Temporary restoration' is acceptable in patient-facing documents but should be flagged in peer-reviewed manuscripts for author review.
In Context
- "The provisional restoration was fabricated chairside using a bis-acryl resin to maintain the occlusal vertical dimension during implant osseointegration." — Case report
- "Colour stability of PMMA-based provisional restorations was significantly lower than that of bis-acryl composites after 30 days of immersion." — In vitro research article