A reappraisal of cantilever bridgework

summary The design and application of spring cantilever and direct cantilever bridgework is evaluated in relation to developments in new materials and the significance of the health of the periodontal tissues. Cantilever bridgework is not advanced as a preferred alternative to conventional fixed bridgework but as a means of meeting certain clinical situations which preclude the use of abutment supports at both ends of a bridge. Lack of success in cantilever bridgework can frequently be attributed to the abuse of design rather than failure of the underlying cantilever principle.