Short answer
A PMMA full-arch bridge is a screw-retained fixed prosthesis milled from a PMMA puck, seated directly on the implant abutments or on a titanium bar. It works as a transitional provisional; on a bar, the literature also describes it as a long-term prosthesis. It is easier to repair than zirconia, but resin teeth fracture more often than ceramic veneers.
What it is
A fixed full-arch prosthesis designed in CAD and milled from a PMMA puck, the industrially polymerized acrylic that comes as a disc. It screws to the implants in one of two ways: directly on the abutments, or over a milled titanium bar that provides a metal framework.
Teeth and gingiva are designed together in CAD, and the teeth follow the prescribed shade. If the case needs gingival characterization, or the plan is to keep PMMA on a bar as the definitive prosthesis, we’ll confirm it with you when the case is opened.
When to prescribe it
Most often, as the transition. After immediate loading, a PMMA bridge puts the tooth position, vertical dimension and phonetics that the definitive prosthesis will copy into the mouth. In a prospective study of 10 patients in the International Journal of Implant Dentistry (2021), milled PMMA provisionals stayed in function for a year without a single fracture.
As a long-term prosthesis, PMMA needs a maintenance plan. A German cohort followed for up to 17 years found a higher risk of veneer fracture on titanium-resin prostheses than on metal-ceramic ones. The upside is repair: tooth replacement, listed under repairs and relines, doesn’t mean remaking the arch.
If fracture and chipping are the main concern, compare it with the full-arch zirconia bridge and read full-arch zirconia, titanium or PMMA.
How we make it
The PMMA full-arch bridge is designed from the approved provisional or a tooth setup and milled in our lab in São Paulo, Brazil, with a titanium bar when the case has one. If you want a clinical try-in of the setup first, arrange it when the case is opened. Every stage is validated and logged, the bridge goes through eight checks before it ships, and you follow its phase in the portal.
What to send
The basics are in our case submission guide and the intraoral scanning guide. If the PMMA bridge is replacing a provisional the patient already wears, scan that provisional in the mouth. It shows us what has already been approved.
Frequently asked questions
Milled PMMA or a processed acrylic conversion?
In an in vitro study in The Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry, complete-arch prostheses milled from high-density PMMA blanks had 35% higher flexural strength than heat-processed denture base acrylic. That is why our PMMA bridge is milled.
How long can a PMMA provisional stay in?
It depends on the case and on maintenance. In a prospective study of 10 patients, milled PMMA provisionals stayed in function for a year with no fractures. When to switch to the definitive prosthesis is your call.
With or without a titanium bar?
Without a bar, the PMMA seats directly on the abutments, which is usually enough for the provisional phase. For long-term use, a titanium bar adds the metal framework resin lacks, and replacing teeth or resin later leaves the framework untouched.
What if a tooth breaks?
Tooth replacement on a full-arch bridge is a separate service. Send the prosthesis with a note on what happened; the repair keeps the framework and the rest of the arch.
Sources
- Comparison of strength of milled and conventionally processed PMMA complete-arch implant-supported immediate interim fixed dental prostheses · The Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry (2023)
- Computer-assisted implant placement and full-arch immediate loading with digitally prefabricated provisional prostheses without cast: a prospective pilot cohort study · International Journal of Implant Dentistry (2021)
- Technical and biological complications of implant-supported fixed complete dentures: a retrospective cohort study with up to 17 years of follow-up · International Journal of Implant Dentistry (2026)
- Four-year outcomes of full-arch fixed dental prostheses using CAD/CAM frameworks: a retrospective review of 15 cases · Journal of Clinical and Experimental Dentistry (2018)