{"id":6580,"date":"2026-06-01T12:06:24","date_gmt":"2026-06-01T10:06:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/magazine.zhermack.com\/?p=6580"},"modified":"2026-06-01T12:06:31","modified_gmt":"2026-06-01T10:06:31","slug":"dental-mock-up-provisional-restorations-prosthodontic-rehabilitation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/magazine.zhermack.com\/en\/studio-en\/dental-mock-up-provisional-restorations-prosthodontic-rehabilitation\/","title":{"rendered":"Provisional mock-ups in prosthodontic rehabilitation"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Mock-ups and provisional restorations play an essential role within the clinical and operative workflow of fixed prosthodontics.&nbsp; A mock-up can be described as a <strong>temporary intraoral reproduction<\/strong> of the planned prosthodontic result, derived from the <strong>diagnostic wax-up<\/strong>, and used to assess aesthetics and function.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Furthermore, having a <strong>preview of the work<\/strong> to be carried out significantly increases patient acceptance. <strong>Provisional restorations<\/strong> protect prepared teeth, maintain occlusion, and promote healing and soft-tissue modelling during the intermediate stage of treatment. These devices therefore fulfil both a <strong>diagnostic and a therapeutic function <\/strong>in complex prosthodontic rehabilitation. (1)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Dental mock-up: aesthetic function and clinical planning<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Mock-ups allow <strong>the planned restorative outcome to be visualised directly<\/strong> in the oral cavity before irreversible procedures are begun, transferring the information from the diagnostic wax-up, produced by a dental technician, to the patient&#8217;s mouth. The mock-up helps <strong>guide aesthetic planning<\/strong>, assess functional parameters, and support clinical decisions regarding tooth preparations or surgical procedures. (2)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Clinical studies show that the mock-up is not merely a tool for communicating with the patient, but can also act as a <strong>guide for periodontal procedures<\/strong>, such as clinical crown lengthening and soft-tissue remodelling (3), while for the patient it can represent a &#8216;test drive&#8217; of the definitive restoration. Using the mock-up, the dentist and patient have the opportunity to test the future restoration aesthetically and functionally, and to request any necessary changes from the dental technician.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Mock-ups are produced<\/strong> mainly using bis-acrylic, acrylic, or light-curing composite resin materials. In certain cases, 3D-printed resins may also be used, especially in digital workflows.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Provisional restorations in prosthodontic rehabilitation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Provisional prostheses <strong>are temporary restorations<\/strong> placed after tooth preparation and before delivery of the definitive prosthesis. Their main functions include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Protection of dental and pulpal tissues<\/strong> from thermal, chemical, and bacterial stimuli<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Maintenance of occlusal relationships<\/strong> and prevention of tooth migration<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Soft-tissue conditioning<\/strong> and emergence profile modelling, especially in the aesthetic region<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Functional and aesthetic evaluation<\/strong> and collection of patient feedback prior to finalisation of the restoration (1)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Materials and techniques for manufacturing provisional restorations<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Traditionally, provisional restorations have been made using materials such as <strong>polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA)<\/strong> and bis-acrylic composite resins. These materials can be processed using direct, indirect, or semi-direct techniques, often using silicone indices or matrices obtained from diagnostic wax-up. (4)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Digital workflows increasingly involve the use of <strong>CAD\/CAM systems<\/strong>. These technologies can also be used in the production of mock-ups and provisional restorations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>3D printing<\/strong> enables complex shapes to be reproduced with a high degree of repeatability; digital mock-ups can be modified virtually before clinical application, and can therefore be easily pre-visualized by both dentists and patients.&nbsp; (5) The patient can choose virtually the tooth shape best suited to their aesthetic requirements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The available evidence shows that 3D-printed provisional restorations exhibit variable mechanical strength depending on the type of resin and printing method, while nevertheless offering a high degree of customisation compared to conventional techniques. (6)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Accuracy and reliability of dental mock-ups and provisional restorations<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The <strong>marginal <\/strong>and internal fit of provisional restorations directly influences their clinical success. The literature shows that the fabrication method significantly affects <strong>accuracy:<\/strong> <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/magazine.zhermack.com\/en\/laboratory-en\/3d-printing-technologies-additive-manufacturing-dentistry\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">additive CAD\/CAM solutions<\/a><\/strong> may provide greater precision in single restorations, while <strong>subtractive CAD\/CAM techniques<\/strong> may offer better marginal fit in multiple-unit rehabilitations. (7)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Mock-ups also show <strong>dimensional differences depending on the technique used for their fabrication<\/strong>. Digital and milled mock-ups exhibit greater fidelity compared to both the diagnostic wax-up and mock-ups created using traditional techniques. (8)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Communication and treatment planning<a id=\"_msocom_1\"><\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Mock-ups and provisional restorations represent <strong>fundamental tools in clinical communication<\/strong>. A well-executed mock-up helps align patient expectations with treatment goals, improving acceptance of the treatment plan. Additionally, these devices facilitate integration with periodontal, orthodontic and surgical treatments within a prosthetically guided approach. (9)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The use of digital mock-ups has been shown to <strong>improve the accuracy of implant planning<\/strong>, allowing prosthetic requirements to be incorporated early in the diagnostic phase. (10)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Limitations and future prospects<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Despite their wide clinical use, there are still <strong>gaps in the standardisation of provisional-restoration fabrication protocols<\/strong>. Recent studies highlight significant variability in clinical knowledge regarding material selection, fabrication techniques, and the use of digital workflows, underscoring the need for evidence-based guidelines. (11)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Role of mock-ups and provisional restorations in clinical practice<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Diagnostic mock-ups and provisional restorations are <strong>indispensable tools for achieving predictable prosthetic<\/strong> outcomes. They perform diagnostic, protective, communicative, and therapeutic functions, linking the planning phase to the execution phase.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Digital technologies are improving precision and reproducibility, but clinical judgment remains essential for the appropriate use of these tools. Further research is needed to optimise materials and clinical protocols.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>References<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Heboyan A, Movsisyan N, Khachatryan V. Provisional restorations in restorative dentistry: significance, materials, and considerations. World Science. 2019.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Reshad M, et al. Diagnostic mock-ups as an objective tool for predictable aesthetic outcomes. Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry. 2008.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Gurrea J, Bruguera A. Wax-up and mock-up: a guide for anterior periodontal and restorative treatments. International Journal of Aesthetic Dentistry. 2014.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Regish KM, et al. Techniques of fabrication of provisional restorations. Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry. 2011.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Systematic review of 3D printing effects on flexural strength of provisional fixed dental prostheses. BMC Oral Health. 2025.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Systematic review and meta-analysis of 3D-printed provisional restorations. BMC Oral Health. 2024.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Y\u0131lmaz BK, K\u0131z\u0131l\u0131rmak KT, Ocak M, Tamam E. Micro-CT evaluation of marginal and internal fit of provisional fixed dental prostheses produced with additive and subtractive manufacturing. BMC Oral Health. 2025<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Cattoni F, et al. Milled versus moulded mock-ups based on diagnostic wax-ups. 2019.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Gurrea J, Bruguera A. Wax-up and mock-up: a guide for anterior periodontal and restorative treatments. International Journal of Aesthetic Dentistry. 2014.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Esteban MOC, et al. Influence of digital mock-up on dental implant planning accuracy. 2019.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Elsayed, H. M., Albahkaly, H. S., Samran, A., Noushad, M., Alkheraif, A. A., Alansary, N., &amp; Nassani, M. Z. (2025). Knowledge Gaps and Clinical Practice Patterns in Provisional Fixed Dental Prostheses Among Dentists in Saudi Arabia\u2014A Cross-Sectional, Survey-Based Study. Prosthesis, 7(6), 140.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Mock-ups and provisional restorations play an essential role within the clinical and operative workflow of fixed prosthodontics.&nbsp; A mock-up can be described as a temporary intraoral reproduction of the planned prosthodontic result, derived from the diagnostic wax-up, and used to assess aesthetics and function. Furthermore, having a preview of the work to be carried out [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":6546,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[40],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6580","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-studio-en"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/magazine.zhermack.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6580","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/magazine.zhermack.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/magazine.zhermack.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/magazine.zhermack.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/magazine.zhermack.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6580"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/magazine.zhermack.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6580\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6581,"href":"https:\/\/magazine.zhermack.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6580\/revisions\/6581"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/magazine.zhermack.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6546"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/magazine.zhermack.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6580"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/magazine.zhermack.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6580"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/magazine.zhermack.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6580"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}