engleski

Screening of fixed prosthodontic appliances after five years of use in relarions to the materials and construction

The aim of this study was to screen patients with fixed prosthodontic appliances that were in oral cavity for a period of 5 years or more. Root caries, gingival recession, pocket formation and alveolar ridge resorption were assessed to find out the differences between different materials and constructions, differences between abutments and natural teeth, and to find out the need for replacement. A total of 260 orthopantomograms were examined, whith a total of 2265 teeth, 610 being bridge abutments and 246 being crowns. The most frequent were metal+ acrylic veneer crowns or bridges. Root caries was found under the abutments in 10-20% ; however abutments whith ceramic crowns had the lowest percantage of caries (p<0.01). Alveolar ridge resorption, pocket formation deeper than 3 mm and gingival recession of various degree was found in 50% of the cases, again whith the lowest percantage of ceramic-fused-to-metal appliances (p<0.01). Pocket depth was significantly bigger in metal- acrylic veneer appliances compared to natural teeth (p<0.01), while there was no significant difference between metal-ceramic appliances and natural teeth (p>0.05). Almost 50% of metal- ceramic abutments had no patologic findings. Almost 30% of the patients needed repalcement, or even some abutments to be extracted and therefore a new prosthodontic appliance.

ortopantomographic screening ; fixed partial dentures

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