Clinical efficiency of the technique for restoring the contact surfaces of the posterior teeth considering the age features

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Esthetic restoration methods of the posterior teeth using composite materials currently used in dentistry can only be used to create contact in a shape of a point, which does not correspond to the age characteristics of the teeth of adult patients.
 AIM: This study aimed to develop and introduce into the dental practice methods for creating and precise positioning of contact pads with size and location that correlated with the patients age.
 MATERIAL AND METHODS: The quality of restorations of the contact surfaces of the teeth and contact points were assessed considering age characteristics. A total of 289 direct composite restorations of class II (Black) defects that were performed during the treatment of dental caries in 178 patients aged 2059 years were conducted. The characteristics of 162 Black class II composite restorations performed with modeling contact pads/surfaces using contact formers were compared with the characteristics of 127 Black class II composite restorations performed using the traditional restoration technique.
 RESULTS: In the study groups (restorations created using contact formers) 7 days after treatment, restorations were completely in line with the clinical requirements (4 of 4 points) according to the criteria for assessing the quality of the contact surfaces of the teeth and contact pads: 98.3%1.02% of restorations; after 12 months, 92.5%2.07%; after 24 months, 74.8%3.41% of the investigated composite dental restorations. In the comparison groups, the values were as follows: 16.3%3.28% of restorations (p 0.005); after 12 months, 11.3%2.81% (p 0.005); and after 24 months, 9.8%2.64% (p 0.005).
 CONCLUSION: The clinical application of the developed technique of contact area modeling during posterior teeth caries treatment, taking into account the age characteristics and using the contact adapter of the original design, makes it possible to improve the quality of the restoration of the contact surfaces of the teeth, contact areas, interdental embrasures, and anatomy of the interdental spaces in general.