Patients interested in Hybridge, please visit Hybridgeimplants.com
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Explore the evolution of full-arch prosthetic design and how material science shapes patient outcomes. In this episode, Dr. Frank Lamar and Dr. Julian Conejo unpack the three most common prosthetic types; monolithic zirconia, hybrid (metal-acrylic), and metal-zirconia. Revealing how each offers unique benefits for strength, esthetics, and comfort.
Welcome to The Lasting Smile Podcast, where clarity meets innovation in full-arch dentistry. In Episode 3, Hybridge Founder Dr. Frank Lamar and Clinical Lab Director Dr. Julian Conejo dive into the art and engineering of prosthetic design, exploring how new materials, advanced manufacturing, and digital precision have transformed the longevity and natural feel of full-arch restorations.
From the earliest acrylic-metal hybrids to today’s advanced zirconia solutions, this episode reveals how Hybridge’s evolution through five generations of prosthetics has led to stronger, lighter, and more lifelike restorations than ever before.
Every patient’s case presents unique challenges in bone, bite, esthetics, and occlusion. As Dr. Conejo explains, “There’s no ideal prosthetic, we tailor design and material to maximize success and minimize complications.” Each option offers trade-offs in flexibility, strength, and adjustability.
Today’s full-arch restorations generally fall into three categories:
Monolithic zirconia has become the global standard for single-arch restorations due to its exceptional strength, biocompatibility, and affordability. As a fully milled, all-zirconia structure, it eliminates metal and cementation layers, offering clean design and high durability, ideal for cases with balanced implant distribution and short cantilevers.
The Generation 5 Hybrid Prosthesis combines a chrome-cobalt metal framework with a PMMA or nano-ceramic overlay. It’s lightweight, modifiable, and ideal for patients with reduced bone or high prosthetic space. At just 17 grams compared to zirconia’s 45 grams, it offers comfort and natural feel, especially for mandibular or dual-arch cases.
The Prime Z prosthesis merges the rigidity of a metal framework with the durability and esthetics of zirconia. The metal chassis absorbs stress and allows cantilevers up to 18 millimeters, while the zirconia shell delivers stunning lifelike esthetics. It’s ideal for high-smile-line patients and those with a history of fractures or parafunctional wear.
The added rigidity of a metal framework allows longer prosthetic spans without flexing, crucial for patients who require extended tooth positions without zygomatic or pterygoid implants.
Heavier prosthetics can cause discomfort, especially in mandibular cases where muscles support the device. Hybrid prosthetics’ lighter weight improves comfort and adaptability, providing a more “natural” percussive feel similar to natural teeth, an important factor in patient satisfaction.
High-smile-line patients benefit from layered ceramics or pink porcelains that replicate gingival anatomy with precision. These esthetic upgrades make the Prime Z prosthesis the choice for premium restorations where visual and phonetic details matter most.
Zirconia’s rigidity makes accuracy non-negotiable. Even minor misfits can lead to stress fractures. That’s why photogrammetry is the preferred impression technique when planning for zirconia prosthetics. As Dr. Conejo notes, “Zirconia isn’t forgiving, accuracy is everything.”
Hybridge’s fifth-generation prosthetic design represents 25 years of continuous innovation improving fit, function, and feel. The modern Gen 5 Hybrid balances rigidity and adaptability, allowing post-delivery adjustments for phonetics, comfort, and occlusion that rigid zirconia options can’t match.
Each prosthetic design, from MZ to Prime Z to Gen 5 Hybrid, serves a distinct clinical purpose. The future of full-arch dentistry lies in precision planning, material science, and customization. As Dr. Lamar summarizes, “Patients don’t just want teeth that look good, they want a smile that feels natural and lasts a lifetime.”
Dr. Frank Lamar is the founder of Hybridge and a pioneer in full-arch restorative dentistry. Dr. Julian Conejo is Hybridge’s Clinical Lab Director and a prosthodontist specializing in digital workflows, prosthetic design, and advanced materials integration.
