How is a partial coverage restoration best described?

A partial coverage restoration is designed to cover only a portion of a tooth's surface, which allows for the maintenance of more of the natural tooth structure compared to full coverage restorations like crowns. This type of restoration typically offers less retention than full coverage options because it has fewer surfaces bonded to the tooth.

Additionally, partial coverage restorations are generally less resistant compared to full coverage types because they cover only part of the tooth, making them potentially more susceptible to dislodgement under certain forces or stresses. This characteristic, combined with partial restorations preserving more of the tooth structure, means they can be less robust in certain clinical situations.

Maintaining as much of the natural tooth structure is beneficial, but because of this limited coverage, they do sacrifice some retention and resistance compared to full coverage restorations.