Retrospective clinical study of single-retainer anterior and posterior glass-ceramic resin-bonded fixed dental prostheses at a mean follow-up of 5 years

Abstract

Aim: To retrospectively evaluate the 5-year survival rates and technical and biological complication rates of single-retainer all-ceramic resin-bonded fixed dental prostheses (RBFDPs). Materials & Methods: 40 patients (24 female, 16 male) treated with 49 anterior and posterior glass-ceramic RBFDPs (Empress, e.max Press, Ivoclar Vivadent AG, Schaan, Liechtenstein) were included in this study. The RBFDPs replaced 11 missing maxillary or mandibular central incisors, 18 lateral incisors, 18 premolars and 2 molars. The patients willing to participate were clinically and radiologically examined. The RBFDPs were examined for their technical outcomes by means of modified United States Public Health Service (USPHS) criteria. Parameters assessed were fracture and/or chipping of the restoration, occlusal wear, marginal adaptation, marginal discoloration, shape and contour, surface texture and esthetic color integration. Furthermore, tooth vitality and postoperative sensitivity were recorded. The following biologic parameters were assessed at test (abutment) and control (analogous contra-lateral untreated) teeth: probing pocket depth (PPD), gingival recession (MG), attachment loss (AL), bleeding on probing (BOP), furcation involvement and periodontal mobility. Statistical analysis was performed with exact 95% confidence intervals to relative frequencies (Documenta Geigy, 1980) and the paired t-test (p<0.05). Results: Twenty-eight patients with 35 RBFDPs participated in the study. The mean followup period of the RBFDPs was 5.7 years (min: 0.31, max: 13.5). Twelve patients with 14 RBFDPs were not willing to participate or were not available. No catastrophic failures of the RBFDPs were found. The 5-year survival rate of the examined RBFDPs was 100% [95% CI (90%, 100%)]. No debonding was recorded. Chipping of the ceramic was found in 5.7% [95% CI (0.70%, 19.16%)] of the RBFDPs. No differences of the biologic outcomes at test and control teeth were found (test: mean (m)PPD 2.4, mMG -0.6, mAL 2.5, mBOP 0.20; control: mPPD 2.3, mMG -0.6, mAL 2.4, mBOP 0.24). Conclusion: Glass-ceramic RBFDPs exhibited very promising clinical outcomes both in anterior and posterior regions. Prospective randomized controlled studies are needed to elucidate the present observations.