Success of 3-Unit Posterior All-Ceramic Inlay-Retained Fixed Dental Prostheses: A Narrative Literature Review

Purpose of Review This narrative review aimed to offer evidence on 3-unit all-ceramic posterior inlay-retained prostheses (IRFDPs) with an emphasis on material choice and design principles. Clinical trials and in vitro studies were identified using an electronic search in PubMed database. Overall, 16 in vitro publications and 8 clinical trials were included that reported on retainer designs, connector dimensions, and tooth preparation designs and detailed bonding techniques, evaluated replacement of posterior teeth, were clinical studies (follow-up ≥ 1 year), or addressed survival or failure rate, based on in vitro chewing simulator, fracture load, and in vivo technical or biological complications. Recent Findings Material properties, restoration design, and adhesive technique showed a high impact on performance of IRFDPs. High-strength zirconia ceramics with intracoronal design bonded to enamel seem to perform well in the posterior region of the mouth. Furthermore, air abrasion at moderate pressure in combination with phosphate-containing resins provides durable bonding to zirconia ceramics. Summary Despite the advances in ceramic materials, there have been few scientific evidence to support the ideal preparation design that might improve clinical performance and restoration lifetime of 3-unit IRFDPs.