Temporary dental restoration, also called provisional or interim restoration, is the short-term repair or replacement of tooth structure used to protect and maintain a tooth or implant site while definitive treatment is prepared or healing proceeds. Provisional restorations seal and shield prepared teeth, preserve t…
Temporary dental restoration, also called provisional or interim restoration, is the short-term repair or replacement of tooth structure used to protect and maintain a tooth or implant site while definitive treatment is prepared or healing proceeds. Provisional restorations seal and shield prepared teeth, preserve the position of adjacent and opposing teeth, maintain soft-tissue contours and aesthetics, and allow assessment of function, occlusion, and patient comfort before a permanent restoration is placed. They are integral to staged procedures such as crown and veneer fabrication, immediate-implant and socket-shield protocols, and rehabilitation following implant or graft surgery, where they support tissue conditioning during osseointegration. The materials and techniques used for provisional restorations share many considerations with definitive restorative dentistry, including the behaviour of resin-based materials during polymerisation, where light source, curing distance, and material thickness affect hardness and the temperature generated, as well as properties such as fracture toughness and surface characteristics that govern interim durability. Because they are intended for limited service, provisional restorations balance adequate strength and marginal seal against ease of placement and removal. Effective temporary restoration protects pulpal and periodontal health, guides the final restorative outcome, and bridges the interval between preparation and definitive care, making it an essential phase in restorative and implant dentistry.
7 peer-reviewed articles, ranked by relevance. Each links to its DOI.
The 7 articles above have been cited 14 times in the scholarly literature. Citation data via OpenAlex and Crossref, updated Jun 2026.
A sample of recent works citing this journal's research on Dental Restoration, Temporary, linking to each citing work.