PURPOSE To evaluate the load-bearing capacities of fiber-reinforced composite (FRC) fixed dental prostheses (FDP) with pontics of various materials and thicknesses. MATERIALS AND METHODS Inlay preparations for retaining FDPs were made in a polymer phantom model. Seventy-two FDPs with frameworks made of continuous unidirectional glass fibers (everStick CB R2 = 0.880; FF: p < 0.001; R2 = 0.953). CONCLUSION By increasing the occlusal thickness of the pontic, the load-bearing capacity of the FRC FDPs may be increased. The highest load-bearing capacity was obtained with 4.0 mm thickness in the ceramic pontic. However, with thinner pontics, polymer denture teeth and composite pontics resulted in higher load-bearing values.